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* I received two anti-Madigan and one anti-Democrat press releases from the governor’s shop today. Here’s the first…
The Southern: Rauner Matures, Madigan Pouts
Below is an excerpt from an editorial in The Southern:
“Being surrounded by so many children must be frustrating for Gov. Bruce Rauner. And the neonates are tasked with funding the state.
The General Assembly, particularly the House, has devolved over the past two weeks into preschool recess. And Speaker Mike Madigan is an accomplished playground bully. It’s an unacceptable state of affairs as the May 31 budget deadline looms.
Rauner, for his part, has repeatedly shown an interest in compromise. The Republican governor and Legislature’s Democratic leadership have been at odds since Rauner stepped into the governor’s mansion. But, in recent days, it’s been the political neophyte Rauner who’s been acting his age…
he’s shown a sudden willingness to sit, in good faith, at the negotiating table. All he requires is a victory or two. It’s called compromise and it’s how the system works. And it’s not like he created this mess in the first place.
* Second…
ICYMI: Speaker Madigan’s Interview with ABC 7 Chicago
In an apparent effort to remove any doubt that Speaker Madigan and the legislators he controls are insistent on rejecting any compromise reforms and are only interested in raising taxes, the Speaker sat down for an exclusive interview with ABC Chicago.
Story Excerpt:
The capitol’s most powerful Democrat commandeered the budget process from Rauner this week. He announced that he and Cullerton will write a spending plan that’s $3 billion short of money needed to pay for it.
“We’re not hiding anything. We’re not being deceitful,” Madigan said. “The governor has his own spending plan. Both plans don’t have enough money to be paid for. We need more money to pay for the state’s spending plan.”
But the governor says no tax increases unless he gets pro-business reforms that Republicans say will rescue the state’s sagging economy.
“This Governor was elected by the people to address some of these structural problems we have. I think he’s holding firm and I support that,” said Rep. Ron Sandack, R-Downers Grove.
“Charles, those are non-budget issues, non-budget issues,” Madigan said.
To watch the interview, click the link: http://abc7chicago.com/politics/madigan-says-hes-on-track-to-pass-spending-plan-/746737/
* Number three…
ICYMI: Democrats reject 3 parts of Gov. Bruce Rauner’s ‘Turnaround Agenda’
An excerpt from GateHouse Media:
Illinois Senate Democrats have rejected three components of Gov. Bruce Rauner’s “turnaround agenda,” which the Republican has said needs to be adopted before he will discuss tax hikes to balance the state budget.
Democrats on Senate committees on Thursday voted down the administration’s proposed reforms of civil liability lawsuits and a property tax freeze that was coupled with allowing local governments to restrict what they collectively bargain with employees and not pay the prevailing wage on projects.
A Senate committee on Wednesday voted down the Rauner administration’s proposed changes to workers’ compensation.
At a morning hearing on the lawsuit reforms, Rich Goldberg, Rauner’s deputy chief of staff for legislative affairs, said the governor had compromised on his reform agenda to produce the bills being considered in Senate committees.
“Sometimes no compromise is good enough for those who stand in the way of reform,” Goldberg said. “Taxpayers are fed up with pouring their hard-earned money into a system that is broken.”
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, May 29, 15 @ 9:40 am
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Comment by CharlieKratos Friday, May 29, 15 @ 9:46 am
This is the exact type of language that will end the deadlock and move things forward. Well done.
Comment by Joe Biden Was Here Friday, May 29, 15 @ 9:47 am
The Southern edit is strange. Where did they witness all this “mature” behavior by the governor and “his sudden willingness” to negotiate?
Rauner’s been on the milk carton for a couple of weeks.
Also, saying a grown man has recently “matured” is not a compliment.
Comment by Wordslinger Friday, May 29, 15 @ 9:50 am
Every morning I eagerly get up and check to see what new bridges the Governor has burned and groups he’s alienated.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, May 29, 15 @ 9:51 am
Bruce has only 1 goal to “Shake up Springfield”……break the unions.
Comment by Jack Stephens Friday, May 29, 15 @ 9:51 am
He’s winning the media war, plain and simple. Dems think they can frame this just like the Federal shutdown. But despite Illinois being strongly blue, the media here don’t lean to the left like the DC Bureaus do. This one’s going around the neck of Madigan.
Comment by mcb Friday, May 29, 15 @ 9:52 am
I’m confused.
It takes 3 press releases to keep the same message going?
There has to be a better use of the Press Shop’s time.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, May 29, 15 @ 9:53 am
If Rauner keeps this campaign going, one day he might become Governor of Illinois.
– MrJM
Comment by MrJM Friday, May 29, 15 @ 9:53 am
==All he requires is a victory or two. It’s called compromise and it’s how the system works.==
Um, when the ‘victory or two’ is the complete annihilation of the other side, that not compromise.
Comment by Not quite a majority Friday, May 29, 15 @ 9:53 am
This strategy worked really well for Blago.
Comment by K3 Friday, May 29, 15 @ 9:57 am
It will be “fun” with the $34 million media barrage and families in strong GOP districts are faced with the Rauner Cuts.
Rauner is going to choose. Rauner may not choose you.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, May 29, 15 @ 9:58 am
==”Governor Rauner … he’s shown a sudden willingness to sit, in good faith, at the negotiating table.”==
Suddenly willing the last week of the session? That’s praiseworthy.
Well, better late than never.
Governor Rauner, don’t just appear willing, make the deals, or it’s all for appearances!
Speaker Madigan, get your rear end in gear, and stop the slap fight, because when all is said and done, it is a major failure for the GA not to produce a balanced budget on time!
Comment by walker Friday, May 29, 15 @ 9:59 am
Looks like rauner is generating editorial support, so he can use excerpts in his attack ads after adjournment (or recess). I would rather see newspapers cover the pros and cons of the content of the bills. Who, besides admin employees, or IPI, spoke in favor of the tax freeze? Tort reform? Workers comp?
Even if the governor modified his proposals somewhat, why would anyone think that that is a “compromise” dems could agree to? Proposal: i will cut you off at the knees. Compromise: i will cut you off at the ankles, and crush your hands. There, i am being reasonable, but you refuse to
compromise. Keep in mind, we have the narrative coming out of afscme negotiations playing in the background, revealing the governor’s true intentions.
Comment by Langhorne Friday, May 29, 15 @ 9:59 am
Bringing out the flame throwers. I have yet to see a smart and sophisticated tactic out of the governor’s office.
Comment by Aldyth Friday, May 29, 15 @ 10:00 am
What exactly is rauner compromising on? Didn’t he say everything is back on the table june 1st?
Comment by foster brooks Friday, May 29, 15 @ 10:00 am
Governor Press release: This is all part of a Madigan/Cullerton problem in Springfield.
Madigan: “At this time it doesn’t pay to get into political rhetoric, name-calling.”
Who’s the mature one here?
Comment by PublicServant Friday, May 29, 15 @ 10:00 am
Hurling insults on May 29th is a sign of weakness, not strength. At least IMHO.
Comment by Bill White Friday, May 29, 15 @ 10:01 am
This guy’s big idea is to try to scare Madigan with speeches, press releases, and paid advertising? And he thinks that’s how he’ll get his fantasy of no unions, tort and WC caps, and whatever else rich folks think will make them richer?
Has he ever had a creative idea in his life?
Comment by Anonymous Friday, May 29, 15 @ 10:04 am
If the Unions decide NOT to be so passive and lazy and late to the game, you’d think they’d try to lay this narrative out to “help” them;
“Every time you see Rauner, see a commercial about Rauner, every time Rauner tries to tell you, on TV he’s here to help, remind yourself.
Bruce Rauner wants to destroy collective bargaining. Bruce Rauner thinks you make too much money”
If the Unions use the visions of Rauner to backfire, they may have a chance to blunt (gulp) over $30 million in Ads.
If you can’t compete with the Ads, make the memory of them and Rauner negative.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, May 29, 15 @ 10:05 am
What’s wrong with the following compromise:
Dear Governor, here is a list of things the GA wants to spend money on and that list totals $36 billion. Please pick the $32 billion you most prefer and line item veto the rest. Odds are we won’t have the votes to over ride.
This process will give us a negotiated, compromise budget and we can all enjoy our summer.
Kind regards . . .
Comment by Bill White Friday, May 29, 15 @ 10:06 am
I don’t understand the end game of using conjecture-filled press statements.
For one, the press is never going to run them as written (except Rich, who is posting them to prove a point).
If the intent is to agitate the Dem leadership, the Gov’s people are wastin’ their time.
It’s all coming across as childish barbs further damaging an already fragile likelihood of achieving any consensus.
Comment by PJ Friday, May 29, 15 @ 10:11 am
It’s a reflection of the sad state of journalism when everything is reduced to a clash of personalities.
There are fundamental differences on big issues in play here — right to work, prevailing wage, workers comp, torts, billions in taxes and spending — that impact millions of people in a real way.
But the likes of the Tribbie and Southern edit pages, rather than dive deep into those issues, reduce the democratic process to some “Tiger Beat” chat page over which personality they find most dreamy.
To stoop to their levels, grow up, put on your big kid pants and do your job, which is to inform and persuade with fact and reason.
Comment by Wordslinger Friday, May 29, 15 @ 10:13 am
So the Dem’s compromise of granting Rauner’s demand to let the tax increase expire and not get extended doesn’t count for anything, huh? That compromise put the budget in a deficit position, so maybe now it’s the Gov’s turn to identify what he would cut to achieve a balanced budget?
Comment by Concerned Friday, May 29, 15 @ 10:13 am
K3 made my point. but you know that he’s got to give it everything he’s got before he starts to learn how the process works. rauner just has a steeper learning curve than most…
Comment by bored now Friday, May 29, 15 @ 10:14 am
Political dysfunction in DC is commonly recognized as the greatest threat facing this nation. Illinois in all its diversity is a mirror image of the US. We seem to be BBs converging in a bottleneck. What emerges past this growing gauntlet of manufactured scarcity is difficult to predict. Hate to see what happens when the real age of scarcity hits. We are teeing up the youngsters for some pain.
Comment by vole Friday, May 29, 15 @ 10:14 am
I don’t get it. For FY 15 the GA passed a “pretend” balanced budget full of gimmicks. For FY 16 they admit it’s not balanced. I thought the constitution requires a balanced budget. If this is what goes for balanced, they could’ve been doing this for years.
Comment by Sir Reel Friday, May 29, 15 @ 10:20 am
Everyone in the traditional press (editorial boards) are flummoxed here. They get a lot of letters, especially now that email makes it so easy, that help them formulate their opinions. The residents of this state are absolutely fed up. The perception is strongly favoring the Governor and not the legislature, particularly the Speaker. More people know MJM and disapprove of him than at any time.
The Dems don’t have the folks behind them. And they’re losing more every day. There’s a deal to be had. Every extra day hurts the Speaker.
Argue all you want. It’s what’s happening.
Comment by A guy Friday, May 29, 15 @ 10:21 am
“This Governor was elected by the people to address some of these structural problems we have. I think he’s holding firm and I support that,” said Rep. Ron Sandack, R-Downers Grove.
The LGDF is a structural problem?
Comment by Bluefish Friday, May 29, 15 @ 10:21 am
===The Dems don’t have the folks behind them. And they’re losing more every day.===
What do you base this on?
===There’s a deal to be had. Every extra day hurts the Speaker===
Governors need budgets. Even Rauber called the lump sum budget Quinn’s…
Always was, always will be.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, May 29, 15 @ 10:24 am
The edit boards were bought, er I mean bought into the Rauner spiel during the election. They will stick with him for awhile. To blunt that factor and the Rauner/wealthy largess, the Rauner budget victims (foster parents/autism advocates etc.) are going to have to do their part to educate the public about the harm of Raunervision.
Comment by Norseman Friday, May 29, 15 @ 10:26 am
Guy, you’re a laugh riot.
When you speak for all the people, does that include the 49.2 percent who did not vote for Rauner and those who returned Dem super-majorities to the GA?
Comment by Wordslinger Friday, May 29, 15 @ 10:28 am
Less marketing, more governing, please.
Comment by nixit71 Friday, May 29, 15 @ 10:30 am
A guy
I think you are suffering from the same misconception that the Governor has with regard to public opinion. The Democrats don’t care about public opinion. If you listen to some of the things they are saying in committees that is clear. It’s folly to assume that having the public with you will affect anything they do. The Governor has assumed all along that he will get the people behind him and then the GA will have to do what he wants. That isn’t going to happen.
Comment by Demoralized Friday, May 29, 15 @ 10:32 am
The gov is awol, bec if he was actually at the capitol meeting w the leaders, it would become clear he is unwilling to compromise–using the correct meaning of the word.
Hudson sours had a question he frequently asked–who wants this bill? Do local govts really want to dump prevailing wage? And so on
Comment by Langhorne Friday, May 29, 15 @ 10:32 am
The Southern editorial is beyond ridiculous. I think that’s pretty much all that needs to be said about it.
As for Mr. Goldberg, I would like to know what in the world the Administration is thinking when they go in front of a committee of the GA and berate the members of the GA.
Comment by Demoralized Friday, May 29, 15 @ 10:32 am
===There’s a deal to be had.===
Could you enlighten us a bit on the parameters of this deal you speak of?
Comment by 47th Ward Friday, May 29, 15 @ 10:34 am
==- Wordslinger - Friday, May 29, 15 @ 9:50 am:==
Also quite a turn from when they called Rauner “naive and dangerous.”
http://thesouthern.com/news/opinion/voice-of-the-southern/governor-the-devil-you-know/article_1b81d4fc-cb1e-590e-a139-8fd120e18807.html
Comment by Precinct Captain Friday, May 29, 15 @ 10:35 am
Norseman, the Southern endorsed Quinn.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, May 29, 15 @ 10:35 am
==The edit boards were bought, er I mean bought into the Rauner spiel during the election. ==
I believe The Southern (editorial above) endorsed Quinn
Comment by Anonymous Friday, May 29, 15 @ 10:36 am
The deal:
- break all unions
- anyone who has less money than The Rauners.,..your on your own
Comment by Jack Stephens Friday, May 29, 15 @ 10:37 am
From the comments so far, I get Rauner = Jerk, Pre-Rauner = Peachy.
Comment by Weltschmerz Friday, May 29, 15 @ 10:43 am
=== Wordslinger - Friday, May 29, 15 @ 10:28 am:
Guy, you’re a laugh riot.
When you speak for all the people, does that include the 49.2 percent who did not vote for Rauner and those who returned Dem super-majorities to the GA?===
Read into it whatever you want Sling. The folks who actually “make this a super majority” aren’t laughing with you. They’re scared to death. But, keep laughing.
Comment by A guy Friday, May 29, 15 @ 10:44 am
Some of these right wing editorial boards and media outlets are the childish ones, resorting to hysteria and meaningless stock talking points such as taxpayers don’t want to pour money into a broken system. The system is broken in large part because of chronically low income tax rates and money not being poured into it.
The system will really be broken if raising taxes is not included in next years budget.
Speaking of false right wing narratives, such as Illinois is in a “death spiral,” April 2015 unemployment rates dropped in all Illinois metro areas–significantly/substantially since one year ago.
Comment by Grandson of Man Friday, May 29, 15 @ 10:47 am
If Governor Rauner was winning, his peeps wouldn’t be chirping.
Solely IMHO, as always.
Comment by Bill White Friday, May 29, 15 @ 10:48 am
a guy,
Perhaps you could back your unsupported wishful assertions with something other than additional bald-faced claims.
As it is, your posts often have an unhinged “Repent, oh ye Democrats! Judgement Day is neigh — and you will burn!” quality to them.
– MrJM
Comment by MrJM Friday, May 29, 15 @ 10:49 am
Don’t feed the trolls!
Comment by Jack Stephens Friday, May 29, 15 @ 10:50 am
==Some of these right wing editorial boards==
The Southern is “Right wing”? LOL….that would be news to a lot of people
Comment by Anonymous Friday, May 29, 15 @ 10:51 am
==The folks who actually “make this a super majority” aren’t laughing with you. They’re scared to death.==
What do you base that on?
Comment by Arsenal Friday, May 29, 15 @ 10:51 am
Anyone found Beth “Casper” Pervis yet? Big dinner for the lst if you can find Brownie
Comment by Anonin' Friday, May 29, 15 @ 10:52 am
“Brucie, you just got to town, and we’re very interested in your development…”
Susie Creamcheese
Comment by Frank Zappa Friday, May 29, 15 @ 10:55 am
Guy, your psychic powers are amazing. When will we see real-world manifestations of your mystical prophecies?
Demo, I haven’t noticed any public outcry to pass Rauner’s legislative agenda. He took it on the road for a couple of months to drum up support. How did that go?
Comment by Wordslinger Friday, May 29, 15 @ 10:56 am
You cannot make deals between contending parties, with both claiming any movement is apocalyptic.
Wordslinger is right. There are major, important, impactful differences between the sides here, and to reduce it all to personalities is ridiculous.
Bridging and reducing such differences on behalf of the people, are their jobs. No excuses.
It’s a fail not to produce a balanced budget on time. No passes allowed for political advantage.
I’ll stop preaching and hope for the best. Have seen cranky budgets hammered out in two days before.
If they go home tomorrow … all deserve detention.
Comment by walker Friday, May 29, 15 @ 10:59 am
Word
I don’t think the public knows what they are for. They are for “reform,” against budget cuts, and against tax increases. So basically they are providing no useful guidance whatsoever with their “opinions.”
Comment by Demoralized Friday, May 29, 15 @ 11:00 am
There seem to be complaints that Rauner doesn’t want to compromise and that may be true.
I guess I am missing the Madigans side of the compromise, what am I missing?
Comment by OneMan Friday, May 29, 15 @ 11:04 am
Brown’s e mail to the Gov’s press office is funny:
https://twitter.com/davemckinney/status/604314612612354048/photo/1
Comment by Concerned Friday, May 29, 15 @ 11:05 am
so, the name-callin’, hyperbole-spewin’
shaker-upper-dude with millions for media-buyin’
has won over some media editorialsts?
yawn
The mature one is MM
______________________________
- PublicServant - Friday, May 29, 15 @ 10:00 am:
Governor Press release: This is all part of a Madigan/Cullerton problem in Springfield.
Madigan: “At this time it doesn’t pay to get into political rhetoric, name-calling.”
Who’s the mature one here?
Comment by zonz Friday, May 29, 15 @ 11:09 am
@Guy: My friend, the only responses I’ve been hearing from my voting suburban neighbors, are on the theme: “Well, are my real estate taxes going up or aren’t they?”
Otherwise they stick with party loyalties, if any.
Ironically, Rauner’s public image might rest in the hands of local boards and school districts, technically non-partisan, but Republican dominated.
Comment by walker Friday, May 29, 15 @ 11:11 am
===what am I missing?===
As far as the budget is concerned, it looks to me like Madigan’s proposed spending contains a lot of cuts. Can’t tell for sure how much in total, but this isn’t a spend-spend-spend budget that Democrats are usually accused of favoring.
So compared with Rauner’s budget proposal, Madigan has met him part of the way on cuts. If Rauner wants to skip the pension payment, he should say so, and that will get us closer to a balanced budget, but still probably short.
As others who’ve been keeping score have noted, the sides started about $6 billion apart and now are about $3 billion apart assuming Illinois pays it’s required pension payment as scheduled.
That’s what you’re missing.
Comment by 47th Ward Friday, May 29, 15 @ 11:13 am
I want to echo what a couple of others have posted. What are the compromises Rauner has offered?
Comment by G'Kar Friday, May 29, 15 @ 11:13 am
Rich,
have the BRU-CREW’s superstars previously run point doing messaging in any situation like this?
Sure doesn’t seem like they know what they’re doing.
Comment by zonz Friday, May 29, 15 @ 11:16 am
All the hollering aside, it doesn’t do the guvs peeps any good to pretend that they campaigned on their legislative agenda, that Rauner got 60%-plus of the popular vote and that he swept in a bunch of GOP GA members with him.
None of that happened.
The governor chose to hide his legislative agenda before the election, I assume, because to reveal it would have sunk him.
He didn’t build popular support for it then, and he hasn’t now, as demonstrated by his road show.
The reality is, in a big GOP year nationally, he beat Pat Quinn with 50.8 percent of the vote in a superficial campaign and didn’t bring anyone to the GA with him.
That’s not a mandate for anything, certainly not his reactionary agenda.
Comment by Wordslinger Friday, May 29, 15 @ 11:23 am
The Speaker should drop his opposition to cuts to the SIU-C budget.
Comment by Juvenal Friday, May 29, 15 @ 11:36 am
Sling, Pay attention to Conroy, T. Cullerton (likes his chances for Congress better than State Senate), Yingling, Sente, Moylan, (Noland, see T. Cullerton), and a number of others- the ones who actually make up the super part of the super majority.
The 3 ring circus the Speaker set up to offer them the votes to combat their actual records is in direct response to voter discontent. It matters not if you believe me. If you think these op-eds make no difference, it’s no skin off me brother. I’m predicting this goes from bad to noticeably worse for the Speaker every day that goes by starting next week. In fact, the editorials almost seem to be starting early. Keep watching and laughing.
Walk, I’m hearing what you’re hearing from neighbors too. I’m picking up more directed chatter than usual about obstruction in the Capitol re: the House and Senate Democrats. I do a lot more listening than talking with these things. It’s very important to get as accurate a feel as possible.
The only place I hear such an anti-Rauner take is actually here. I agree Dems can be mad at Dems and still vote for them. But even the Dems are angrier than usual at Dems. In the bellwether areas, this could be a problem. Time will tell.
Comment by A guy Friday, May 29, 15 @ 11:39 am
===MrJM - Friday, May 29, 15 @ 10:49 am:
a guy,
Perhaps you could back your unsupported wishful assertions with something other than additional bald-faced claims.
As it is, your posts often have an unhinged “Repent, oh ye Democrats! Judgement Day is neigh — and you will burn!” quality to them.
– MrJM===
Dude, if that’s what you’re picking up, read ‘em again. My wishful thinking is for a reasonable compromise that gets us back to business. I think there are plenty of Dems who’d agree with me. No party has the franchise on the best ideas.
The whole Judgement Day is nigh thing has me perplexed, but I know your first goal is always to be cute. Not sure you hit it with this one. But in a coy way, I’ll admit often you do ring the cuteness bell.
Comment by A guy Friday, May 29, 15 @ 11:43 am
Walk, paid my real estate taxes today. They did go up.
Comment by A guy Friday, May 29, 15 @ 11:44 am
===I’m picking up more directed chatter than usual about obstruction in the Capitol re: the House and Senate Democrats.===
Have you tried adjusting your antenna?
Comment by 47th Ward Friday, May 29, 15 @ 11:47 am
When do Raunerites turn and say, “you’ve done nothing, Bruce, but bring more gridlock and even locked out state workers?”
If the premise is that the “silent majority” of Illinois is cheering Rauner accomplishing nothing, that Rauner has no budget agreement, and Rauner is locking out state workers, while defunding program after program…
At what point is doing nothing by the man Shaking and Bringing Back going to cause people to take pause?
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, May 29, 15 @ 11:48 am
===I’m picking up more directed chatter than usual about obstruction in the Capitol re: the House and Senate Democrats.===
Well, of course you are, ’cause R partisans have a reason to say that for the first time in 12 years.
Comment by Arsenal Friday, May 29, 15 @ 11:50 am
@ OW- The play, I suppose, is to go out in 2016 and say “I can’t do it alone, so you need to give me a Republican GA”. With the money and voter anger, it’s not a dumb play, but I don’t know if it can overcome the strength of the Dem’s political machine, POTUS-year turnout, and the daunting prospect of turning a supermajority into a minority.
Comment by Arsenal Friday, May 29, 15 @ 11:54 am
Guy, you give no reason to “believe you.” You make baseless assertions and when questioned back them up with “what I’m hearing,” That’s a kids game.
Comment by Wordslinger Friday, May 29, 15 @ 11:55 am
- Arsenal -,
Let’s even go further with your premise.
The sitting governor, a Republican governor, he WILL… will play, if he gets candidates, in the Democratic primaries, and further, try for 60 and 30 the “hard” way. picking on Dem sestS to be Raunerite Button Pushers.
I’ve yet to see an unsuccessful governor in the legislative processes be able to flip seats, in both parties to be bought and paid for by that very specific governor.
Blago wanted to try the plan, Rauner will try to impliment the plan.
You are On It, - Aresnsal -, but it’s so much larger, I think.
Rauner has a 3 in 5 shot of pulling it off, I firmily believe, and I admittedly fear.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, May 29, 15 @ 12:04 pm
==Wordslinger - Friday, May 29, 15 @ 11:55 am:
Guy, you give no reason to “believe you.” You make baseless assertions and when questioned back them up with “what I’m hearing,” That’s a kids game.===
Puts me in the same boat as editorial boards and anyone else you disagree with. You’re it.
Comment by A guy Friday, May 29, 15 @ 12:14 pm
==Rauner has a 3 in 5 shot of pulling it off, I firmily believe, and I admittedly fear.==
I’d probably say 50-50? I dunno, it’s hard to say, ’cause no one has been able to put that much money down on the table before.
I highly suspect that Rauner playing the Dem primaries will be for naught; Rauner is already at Dubya-esque levels of antipathy among the Dems I talk to, and “secrets” like “candidate X got his money from Rauner” don’t get kept in the tiny, insular world of GA primaries.
But in the General Election, it’s a different story, taking Rauner’s money isn’t going to be quite so much of a scarlet letter for a Republican. Still; if Republicans picked up 11 seats in the House, and 9 in the Senate, that would be a pretty massive turnover, right? And yet, it would still leave the Dems with a majority, and it would, by definition, be the ones with more ability to oppose the Governor that survived.
Comment by Arsenal Friday, May 29, 15 @ 12:15 pm
P.C. @ 10:35
I personally like the line in The Southern article you referenced that says:
“In the end we believe that re-electing Pat Quinn is both better and poses less economic risk to Illinois voters.”
Comment by Finally Out (and now very glad to be) Friday, May 29, 15 @ 12:19 pm
There is a bigger gap between the haves and the have nots than anytime in recent history and yet the answer the Billionaire Governor has is to take more away from the working class and give more to the he haves.
Some people when they can’t make their bills cut back; others get another job.
It is time to raise the property tax not to the 67% tax increase we had but to 134% and turn Illinois around!
Comment by SallyD Friday, May 29, 15 @ 12:34 pm
–You’re it.–
One kids game at a time, please.
Comment by Wordslinger Friday, May 29, 15 @ 12:37 pm
Thanks for acknowledging that you got it and not stating the usual remarks about not being able to understand my ramblings. lol
Comment by A guy Friday, May 29, 15 @ 12:42 pm
===”When do Raunerites turn and say, “you’ve done nothing, Bruce, but bring more gridlock and even locked out state workers?””===
Huh? As a confirmed Raunerbot, I disagree. You won’t see me turning and asking those crazy questions. Rauner has accomplished a great deal, talking change and turnaround issues that the Democrats have rejected, either through real or pretend bills and votes. And outside of the Springfield cocoon the legislature is living in, it appears the public is waiting for some change and turnaround to happen.
I agree that Rauner has brought more gridlock. But more than the last two prior governors? Nope. He has confronted the status quo in the legislature. So did Quinn. So did Blagojevich. Quinn rolled over last year because he was up for election. Shouldn’t have and it cost him.
Locked out state workers? Which ones? When did this happen? I was in the James R. Thompson building this morning. Saw no pickets. All doors were open. Plenty of state employees at work.
So to answer your question Oswego Willy, I won’t be asking Rauner what you want me to ask him. Take a deep breath.
Comment by Louis G Atsaves Friday, May 29, 15 @ 12:58 pm
- Louis G. Atsaves -
With respect,
As you remind me as a “them”, please read the context of your grab;
It was in the context of what may be said come next election, and given the impass that the governor and AFSCME are currently at, who is to say there will or won’t be a lockout?
You’re a smart guy, you can think out and game out possibilities.
===I agree that Rauner has brought more gridlock. But more than the last two prior governors? Nope. He has confronted the status quo in the legislature. So did Quinn. So did Blagojevich. Quinn rolled over last year because he was up for election. Shouldn’t have and it cost him.===
Totally agree. Just remember, those governors, they owned their issues, budgets, and even their cuts… comes with the gig.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, May 29, 15 @ 1:16 pm
“a great deal” hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
________________
Author: Louis G Atsaves
Comment:
===”When do Raunerites turn and say, “you’ve done nothing, Bruce, but bring more gridlock and even locked out state workers?””===
Huh? As a confirmed Raunerbot, I disagree. You won’t see me turning and asking those crazy questions. Rauner has accomplished a great deal, talking change and turnaround issues . . .
I agree that Rauner has brought more gridlock. . . .
Comment by zonz Friday, May 29, 15 @ 1:20 pm
==auner has accomplished a great deal, talking change and turnaround issues that the Democrats have rejected, either through real or pretend bills and votes.==
So…he’s talked. Great. What’s he *accomplished*?
==And outside of the Springfield cocoon the legislature is living in, it appears the public is waiting for some change and turnaround to happen.==
What are you basing that on?
==I agree that Rauner has brought more gridlock. But more than the last two prior governors? Nope. ==
So, more, but not more, got it.
Comment by Arsenal Friday, May 29, 15 @ 1:23 pm
===I agree that Rauner has brought more gridlock. But more than the last two prior governors? Nope. He has confronted the status quo in the legislature. So did Quinn. So did Blagojevich. Quinn rolled over last year because he was up for election. Shouldn’t have and it cost him.===
Rauner hasn’t confronted the status quo, he has become a part of it. And nothing says that like $400,000.
Comment by Juvenal Friday, May 29, 15 @ 1:25 pm
==Rauner has accomplished a great deal==
Not sure what he’s accomplished yet.
==He has confronted the status quo in the legislature.==
Good for him. Now can we move on please? Things aren’t going to change. He better learn to work within the process or this is going to be a long 4 years.
Comment by Demoralized Friday, May 29, 15 @ 1:30 pm
“I’m picking up more directed chatter than usual” Of course you realize that even if 100% of the people in a room are all saying the same things, that doesn’t mean the ones that aren’t talking agree.
Comment by Skeptic Friday, May 29, 15 @ 1:45 pm
Skep, agreed, case in point, this blog. lol
I’m a good listener. I attend a lot of events. Most recently, I’ve attended a few COD board meetings. Several of them had literally hundreds of people in attendance. A lot more chatter there in general from both D and R constituencies. I found it interesting to walk around and keep listening. Tons of topics being discussed about public policy all over the very large room. I’ve been to plenty of muni events in town, 2 parades and 2 inside ceremonies on Memorial Day. These are places where many civic-minded active people are. I’m getting a good sampling. If you’re out there, you hear stuff. It’s what I do.
Comment by A guy Friday, May 29, 15 @ 2:03 pm
I’m a conservative surrounded by democrats, public and private union members, and ultra liberal family members. Anecdotally, more conversations I have include grudging support for the policies, if not the person of Gov. Rauner.
Comment by southwest Friday, May 29, 15 @ 2:07 pm
If he wants to turn all of the State’s operating procedures (that have been settled laws) on their head, he won’t do it this year or next. He’s going to need to buy himself a whole lot of new, loyal legislators in November 2016, a Presidential year, and hold on to the ones he has, then try again with his agenda in Spring, 2017. He will probably have an announced primary opponent by that time.
Comment by James Friday, May 29, 15 @ 2:15 pm
Wordslinger @ 10:28. Your boast about the Democrats’ legislative “supermajority” merely underscores why Rauner’s redistricting proposal deserves merit (and why the supermajority are afraid to even introduce it). Eric Zorn did an excellent analysis on this and it proves that the “supermajority” to which you hang your hat does not reflect the will of the people. Here’s the relevant excerpt:
=====
In Illinois Senate races, where about a third of the seats were up this cycle, Democrats won 58 percent — 11 out of 19 — and now hold a 39-20 advantage in that chamber. In House races, where all the seats were up, Democrats won 60 percent — 71 out of 118.
But this apparent domination is actually an artifact of Democratic control of the legislative map. I asked the State Board of Elections to crunch the overall numbers for me, and here’s what they came back with:
If you combine all the votes cast in House races, Democrats won 50.6 percent to 49.4 percent, a victory of just 1.2 percentage points, not the 20-point victory suggested by the overall won-loss record.
But more than half of the districts were uncontested. And when you look at just the 48 districts where both major parties fielded a candidate and voters were given a choice between the visions articulated by representatives of those parties, the GOP won 51 percent to 49 percent.
If you combine all the votes cast in Senate races, Republicans won 54.4 percent to 45.6 percent. But in the seven races in which both major parties fielded a candidate, the Democrats won 53 percent to 47 percent.
This argues for a constitutional amendment, promoted by Rauner, to take the job of legislative re-districting out of the hands of the partisan lawmakers and put it in the hands of an independent commission.
Ideally, a state in which 50.6 of the House votes were cast for Democrats would have a House of Representatives that’s approximately 50.6 percent Democratic — 60 seats out of 118, not 71.
Will of the people, law of the land, don’t you know.
The breakdown of the election results also argues for compromise.
=====
Comment by phocion Friday, May 29, 15 @ 2:30 pm
@SallyD: 12:34pm ==It is time to raise the *property tax* not to the 67% tax increase we had but to 134% and turn Illinois around! ==
Did you mean to write income tax, not property tax? Our flat, low income tax, compensated by excessive dependence on property taxes and sales taxes, is what makes the IL tax system one of the most regressive in the nation.
Comment by X-prof Friday, May 29, 15 @ 2:54 pm
==- A guy - Friday, May 29, 15 @ 11:39 am:==
Who is voting and writing letters and making calls based on these newspaper editorials? Can you point me to those letters, calls, and votes?
==- Louis G Atsaves - Friday, May 29, 15 @ 12:58 pm:==
“Talking change” is accomplishing a “great deal”? The old all talk standard alive and well.
==- A guy - Friday, May 29, 15 @ 2:03 pm:==
That “good sampling” is not good at all. DuPage County is way above median on economic statistics (i.e. household income) than the state as a whole.
Comment by Precinct Captain Friday, May 29, 15 @ 4:35 pm
PC, read the paper, especially the web version. No limit on letters there.
Sampling the folks at a Community College is not an exercise in polling the rich and famous in any county.
Comment by A guy Friday, May 29, 15 @ 5:00 pm