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Unsolicited advice

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* Gov. Bruce Rauner said over and over today during an afternoon press conference that he doesn’t want to see “phony reforms” passed by the end of the scheduled spring session. He said he wants “real” reforms or all bets are off.

He’ll obviously decide what’s real and what’s not, but - and I don’t think I’ve ever said this before [/snark] - he ought to heed Rep. Jack Franks’ advice…

Thursday morning, Rauner released the prepared remarks of top aide Rich Goldberg to be given before a committee of lawmakers.

“In short, while Gov. Rauner says yes to reform and yes to compromise, the legislators in control of the General Assembly say no to reform, no to compromise, yes to unbalanced budgets and yes to higher taxes without reform,” he said.

Franks carried a property tax freeze proposal that Republicans decried as a stunt, but the Democrat says he agrees with the governor on the idea in general, and he had some advice for Rauner to advance his big first-year agenda.

“Do it incrementally. That’s what happens here in Springfield. I’d like to move things quicker, too,” Franks said. “It doesn’t happen overnight, because some people just aren’t ready for it. So you have to chip away.”

He’s right.

Get your foot in the door.

It’s what Gov. Jim Edgar did with property tax caps in the 1991 spring overtime session. Edgar settled for much less than he demanded and eventually the limits spread well beyond the handful of counties originally capped.

Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security. You can go on and on. They started off much smaller than they are today.

* Don’t make the perfect the enemy of the half-good.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, May 29, 15 @ 1:54 pm

Comments

“* Don’t make the perfect the enemy of the half-good.”

lol. See now that’s a compromisin’ statement already. We’re off!!

Comment by A guy Friday, May 29, 15 @ 1:57 pm
Rauner taking advice from outside his cult of sycophants would indeed go a long way.

Comment by Precinct Captain Friday, May 29, 15 @ 1:58 pm
Yeah when the “half good” involves decapitating the core constituency of the opposite party that is a problem.

Comment by Obamas Puppy Friday, May 29, 15 @ 1:58 pm
“Rome wasn’t built in a day.” “Slow and steady wins the race.” “Patience is a virtue.”

Comment by Skeptic Friday, May 29, 15 @ 2:00 pm
The hungry should never turn down a half a loaf…

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, May 29, 15 @ 2:01 pm
Somebody should remind Rauner that he was elected to a four-year term. He doesn’t need to get everything on his list done by Sunday.

Comment by 47th Ward Friday, May 29, 15 @ 2:01 pm
Rich:

Great advice, if the governor was actually interested in passing reforms.

He is not.

Which why he refuses to state for the record what reforms he is demanding in exchange for a tax hike, or really even commit to signing a tax hike if reforms are passed.

Comment by Juvenal Friday, May 29, 15 @ 2:01 pm
He also has to remember that for as many people voted for him, there’s a lot of people who voted against him — or didn’t vote.

I think a compromise has to come from that understanding, too. Despite what Rauner thinks — and what the Tribune seems to constantly imply — there is no Rauner mandate here. There never was.

Comment by Frenchie Mendoza Friday, May 29, 15 @ 2:01 pm
Rep. Franks has a long record of seeking to control or reduce property taxes. To accuse him of a bogus stunt indicates they don’t know this pol’s record on taxes. It also suggests they don’t care if they insult a would-be ally.

Comment by nona Friday, May 29, 15 @ 2:02 pm
“Walking on water wasn’t built in a day.”
-Jack Kerouac

Comment by illinoised Friday, May 29, 15 @ 2:04 pm
“Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security. You can go on and on. They started off much smaller than they are today.”

That is what Rauner is afraid of. Continued expansion. And notjust property taxes.

What Rauner has to do is compromise on all issues but slowly decrementalize spending. He wants to do it at one whack and that won’t work.

And i believe it is even more important to him to bust the unions that even reduce spending. This is rally in his gut.

Comment by Federalist Friday, May 29, 15 @ 2:08 pm
Federalist:

You hit the nail on the head.

It’s all about the unions!

Comment by Jack Stephens Friday, May 29, 15 @ 2:14 pm
Thar she blows!

Back to the oars ye bilge rats!

We can get this great ugly beast in tow after all!

Comment by walker Friday, May 29, 15 @ 2:16 pm
This is Muhammad Ali vs Joe Frazier; when this session/fight is over there will be a winner and loser.

Comment by Buzzie Friday, May 29, 15 @ 2:19 pm
Federalist:

The problem is that Rauner wants to reduce the total amount that we spend, including our debt repayment, and reduce our debt at the same time.

He could probably reduce the RATE that government spending is increasing and claim credit for curbing the growth of government, rightly so, declare victory, and win many converts.

But that would require both a desire for compromise which I believe he lacks as well as a set of problem-solving skills his team lacks.

Comment by Juvenal Friday, May 29, 15 @ 2:20 pm
=Rauner doesn’t want to see phony…=

He needs to quit looking in the mirror. Phony governor!

Comment by DuPage Friday, May 29, 15 @ 2:27 pm
Buzzie: for different reasons I like to them both on their back ( Rauner and Madigan). Shake it off and then - still in a daze - actually do good for Illinois

Comment by Anonymous Friday, May 29, 15 @ 2:31 pm
yep, branding branding branding

This should be sent to Dem political operatives with the caption “Please, hold your applause.”
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CGMlC7aWQAA6-M_.png

Comment by zonz Friday, May 29, 15 @ 2:33 pm
@ walker - Friday, May 29, 15 @ 2:16 pm:

Thar she blows!

Is it the great white one?

Comment by Mouthy Friday, May 29, 15 @ 2:33 pm
Wisdom develops over time. Next year will be better.

Comment by Keyser Soze Friday, May 29, 15 @ 2:34 pm
==Is it the great white one==

Aye, mate. And a great ugly beast she is. She’ll kill us all if she can.

No one can rest now until we get a harpoon on her, and a lance in her black heart.

Comment by walker Friday, May 29, 15 @ 2:40 pm
Unfortunately, we had a post of remembrance the other day to the person who seemed to get through to that egotistical head. I’m not going to hold my breath.

Comment by Norseman Friday, May 29, 15 @ 2:43 pm
Rauner, as someone who has claimed to have never failed at anything, this could be tough.
His ostensible record of perfection could be in jeopardy.

Comment by Qui Tam Friday, May 29, 15 @ 2:44 pm
===His ostensible record of perfection could be in jeopardy.===

You maintain a perfect record by spinning every outcome as a win. In the end, it’s essential to BR that he appears to have won.

Comment by veritas Friday, May 29, 15 @ 3:04 pm
=And notjust property taxes.= A significant factor in our high property taxes is how the state finances (or doesn’t in reality) education. School (we) are the biggest check of everyone’s tax bill. Everyone I know, that does what I do, would rather that was not true. Everyone. Illinois is 49th out of 50 in state support of schools. That isn’t good.

I support property tax relief if we know that we will get a reasonable and reliable level of funding.

This will not happen in one fell swoop.

Comment by JS Mill Friday, May 29, 15 @ 3:05 pm
All great adages seen above. Problem is, Rauner doesn’t come across as a patient man. Can he be trained? And by whom?

Comment by dupage dan Friday, May 29, 15 @ 3:12 pm
Another piece of advice is that the legislative branch is a co-equal branch of government. They do not recognize that you were elected with a statewide mandate. He may think that rude, but it is a fundamental pillar of our system of government of checks and balances that we were taught in elementary school.

All Governors and Presidents everywhere have trouble learning this lesson, but the sooner they do the better.

Comment by Just Me Friday, May 29, 15 @ 3:14 pm
Unsolicited Advice: Stand fast, Mr. Governor. The State is on life support, and the voters gave you a mandate to lead.

Comment by Sage Friday, May 29, 15 @ 3:17 pm
Rauner doesn’t like the reform proposals/bills/language the Democrats considered and voted down. I may have missed the bills he likes. Are they out there?

This isn’t negotiation, debate or even discussion. It’s a shouting match.

Comment by Sir Reel Friday, May 29, 15 @ 3:23 pm
@ Sage—

Ummmmmm….. no the voters did not give him a mandate to lead. More people either did not vote or cast a ballot against Quinn and held their nose and voted for Rauner.

Comment by NewWestSuburbanGop'er Friday, May 29, 15 @ 3:27 pm
“and the voters gave you a mandate to lead.” Um…just no.

Comment by Skeptic Friday, May 29, 15 @ 3:29 pm
==Stand fast, Mr. Governor.==

OK. Appreciate the feeling.

But “stand fast” where? You do know that Rauner’s own budget proposal is still $3B short of balancing?

Sage: with honest respect. What’s your own position?

Should the governor stand fast on his turnaround agenda items in full, and cut another $3B in spending more than even he has yet identified?

The problem is that Rauner’s turnaround agenda items, if they work as his supporters expect, will impact us fiscally years out, and we have a big hole today.

Comment by walker Friday, May 29, 15 @ 3:29 pm
Rich & others,
So Gov said “no special session” (at today’s presser).
Will he cave on that?

Comment by zonz Friday, May 29, 15 @ 3:33 pm
++Gov. Bruce Rauner said over and over today during an afternoon press conference that he doesn’t want to see “phony reforms” passed by the end of the scheduled spring session. He said he wants “real” reforms or all bets are off.++ Please define how any reform is phony?

Comment by Mama Friday, May 29, 15 @ 3:34 pm
=== The State is on life support, and the voters gave you a mandate to lead. ===

Oh (banned word), do you know what the co-pay on that will be?

Comment by Norseman Friday, May 29, 15 @ 3:36 pm
God curse her, she’s dived out of sight. Rest on you oars, mates.

Master Miller is aloft, scanning the horizon for a blow, and will signal us which way she goes.

Comment by walker Friday, May 29, 15 @ 3:37 pm
=and the voters gave you a mandate to lead. =

I am not sure 52% of the vote is a mandate. Certainly a bigger win than we seen in a few gubernatorial elections.

Comment by JS Mill Friday, May 29, 15 @ 3:39 pm
Both the Rauner and Madigan budgets are out of balance because they just can’t figure out where else they could cut.

The answer, of course, is K-12, but no one’s going tnere.

So they both need about $3 billion in new revenue, probably more for Rauner because I don’t think there are many GOP votes for the local income tax grab back.

Until they figure out where that new revenue comes from, it’s all Springfield Bad Opera, with a lot of swooning and baring of teeth.

But going past May 31 just means more GOP votes on the inevitable tax increase.

Comment by Wordslinger Friday, May 29, 15 @ 3:48 pm
Illinois voter turnout in Novemeber 2014 was 39.5%. So Rauner’s “mandate” is based on roughly 20% of the electorate. Rauner could only claim a “mandate” if Madigan invited him out for dinner.

Comment by IllinoisBoi Friday, May 29, 15 @ 3:56 pm
to . . .
1. JS Mill
2. admirers of Jack Franks and other proponents of a PROPERTY TAX FREEZE

PLEASE . . .
To me the idea of the state decreeing a PROPERTY TAX FREEZE is a really bad idea, and WOULD lead to California-Prop 13-type calamities where industrial+commercial property owners wind up paying an ever smaller share of the property tax burden, homeowners wind up paying a ever larger share, and taxing bodies are increasingly starved for revenue.
————-SO I ASK————-
I wonder - - in a world without a budget crisis - - how could the state sensibly and VIABLY give $$$ incentives to school districts to lower property taxes? (I know school districts are not alone as the important taxing bodies in this issue, but we gotta start with school districts IMO.)
______________

- JS Mill - Friday, May 29, 15 @ 3:05 pm:

=And notjust property taxes.= A significant factor in our high property taxes is how the state finances (or doesn’t in reality) education. School (we) are the biggest check of everyone’s tax bill. Everyone I know, that does what I do, would rather that was not true. Everyone. Illinois is 49th out of 50 in state support of schools. That isn’t good.

I support property tax relief if we know that we will get a reasonable and reliable level of funding.

This will not happen in one fell swoop.

Comment by zonz Friday, May 29, 15 @ 4:04 pm
There’s a whole lot of undeserved respect being showered here on folks who didn’t take the time or have the interest to vote. How would anyone know what % would prefer one course of action or the other?

Moreover, why would anyone care? They didn’t.

Rauner won. He’s the Governor. Who cares what comprises a mandate? He’s in the mansion and in one branch of Government, he’s in charge. He’s been elected to be the Governor and exercise his leadership. You may not like how he’s doing it, but he’s doing it.

Meanwhile, two districts out of 177 picked the other leaders…and yet those mandates appear never to be in doubt. Funny.

Comment by A guy Friday, May 29, 15 @ 4:12 pm
I like old Jack, but his advice is almost always unsolicited. Especially by his leader.

Comment by A guy Friday, May 29, 15 @ 4:13 pm
Mandate is a word overzealous politicians used to try to do whatever they want and ignore what most people want. Trying to fix all of Illinois financial problems is like trying to walk 250 miles in 1 day. There a lot of small steps to be taken to get there. Bruce needs to realize that and he also needs to gain some respect from the legislators that he has already wasted. He should have set more realistic goals too.

Comment by Ginhouse Tommy Friday, May 29, 15 @ 4:15 pm
“We learn from failure, not from success!”

Comment by Enviro Friday, May 29, 15 @ 4:18 pm
–Meanwhile, two districts out of 177 picked the other leaders–

That probably means something.

Any governor is free to push his agenda and sign whatever legislation can achieve a majority in the General Assembly. Been like that for some time now.

Comment by Wordslinger Friday, May 29, 15 @ 4:19 pm
===You may not like how he’s doing it, but he’s doing it.===

Actually, he’s not doing it. Last I checked, all of his priorities got voted down. What has he done, exactly?

Comment by 47th Ward Friday, May 29, 15 @ 4:24 pm
===Last I checked, all of his priorities got voted down.===

Seriously dude. I know I’m not on your hit parade, but really man, you gotta do better than this.

Comment by A guy Friday, May 29, 15 @ 4:40 pm
“Who cares what comprises a mandate?” Apparently Sage does, that’s why we’re bashing his comment.

Comment by Skeptic Friday, May 29, 15 @ 4:44 pm
I respectfully disagree with the commenters who assert that the Governor does not have a mandate to lead coming out of the November 2014 election. His entire campaign was centered on the theme, “Shake Up Springfield, Bring Back Illinois”, and he won by a larger margin than most of us anticipated.

Be that as it may, we are all watching a dance play out between the Governor and the General Assembly. In my view, the putative result is that the D’s get their additional revenue (in the form of a service tax) and the R’s get a number of their structural reforms (tort reform, work comp reform, term limits, etc.). The only way the parties get there is for Rauner to stand fast, with actual or threatened vetoes, and turn up the heat on the Democratic caucus leaders until they cave on reforms, and he can concede on revenue.

Comment by Sage Friday, May 29, 15 @ 4:46 pm
Skep, Sage proclaims it a mandate. His/her prerogative. It’s many others who are slicing and dicing the electorate to say otherwise. Using voter turnout as their basis. If that’s the case, there might never have been a mandate outside of the USSR and China. It’s silly.

The point Sage makes is clean enough. He’s been elected to lead. Period.

Comment by A guy Friday, May 29, 15 @ 4:52 pm
Sage, you’re kidding yourself if you don’t think the governor needs or wants new revenue for his proposed budget.

Without it, K-12 gets the ax.

But, then again, if you think a meaningless campaign theme and 50.8 percent of the vote translates into a mandate for a raft of specific reactionary legislation, you’re quite the kidder.

There’s a reason he didn’t campaign on that legislation.

Comment by Wordslinger Friday, May 29, 15 @ 5:07 pm
=The point Sage makes is clean enough. He’s been elected to lead. Period.=

He has been elected governor. He should be leading, I am not sure anyone is doing that right now. That goes for the other so called leaders too.

Leadership is not simply an office, it is action.

But, thanks for telling me how it is.

Comment by JS Mill Friday, May 29, 15 @ 5:12 pm
==- A guy - Friday, May 29, 15 @ 4:40 pm:==

I’m sure 47th will stick with facts of legislative votes over sampling CoD meetings.

==- Sage - Friday, May 29, 15 @ 4:46 pm:==

A “larger margin than most of us anticipated” does not a mandate make. 49.7% of people who voted for Governor of Illinois voted against Bruce Rauner. Less than half of registered voters turned out. That is hardly a mandate, as connotatively understood, for anything. A simple majority is not a mandate.

http://www.elections.il.gov/Downloads/ElectionInformation/VoteTotals/2014GEOfficialVote.pdf

Comment by Precinct Captain Friday, May 29, 15 @ 5:14 pm
Rich,
In your laudable effort to get closer to the civility of “Kumbaya” singalongs here, please never ban or limit A+ comments like Wordslinger’s
_____________
- Wordslinger - Friday, May 29, 15 @ 5:07 pm:

Sage, you’re kidding yourself if you don’t think the governor needs or wants new revenue for his proposed budget.

Without it, K-12 gets the ax.

But, then again, if you think a meaningless campaign theme and 50.8 percent of the vote translates into a mandate for a raft of specific reactionary legislation, you’re quite the kidder.

There’s a reason he didn’t campaign on that legislation.

Comment by zonz Friday, May 29, 15 @ 5:18 pm
Bush had a mandate to destroy SS as we know it. Obama had a mandate to increase taxes and implement ObamaCare.

All of the egomaniacs think they have a mandate. What else is new!

Comment by Federalist Friday, May 29, 15 @ 5:37 pm
===Rauner won. He’s the Governor. Who cares what comprises a mandate?===

It’s 60 and 30. Seems as though the General Assembly reads it different.

===He’s in the mansion and in one branch of Government, he’s in charge.===

Of one branch, of Co-Equal government… lol.

He’s no ruler.

===He’s been elected to be the Governor and exercise his leadership. You may not like how he’s doing it, but he’s doing it.===

Unless the Co-Equal branches govern together in divided government, Rauner and his mandate won’t mean much.

But Rauner is in charge…lol

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, May 29, 15 @ 5:53 pm
at Rauers request they played the Coca Cola I want to teach song on the Capitol elevators today.

Comment by A Citizen Friday, May 29, 15 @ 5:58 pm
==Shake up Springfield, bring back Illinois.== That’s his mandate? Can you think of a more meaningless phrase? Do you think he would have been elected if he said, “All I want is to stick it to unions, all of them. We don’t need to pay no stinkin’ union wages and the whole state would be a lot better off if working people realized that they don’t deserve good wages and benefits. All my good buds say so.”

Comment by kimocat Friday, May 29, 15 @ 6:22 pm
Amen Rich - one branch. Barely. . . the legislature is vastly different than the CEO. Is it pretty? Absolutely not. Is it the result of our system? For better or worse, yes.

Comment by Lt. Guv. Friday, May 29, 15 @ 6:25 pm
Using Edgar as an example of how to get things done was a poor choice.

Edgar’s property tax caps lead to a budget shortfall in 1995.

The Republican controlled government spent more than what they had coming in, causing a large budget shortfall.

Their “solution” was to borrow from the State pension fund and a pay it back with a ski sloped repayment schedule. No State could ever afford to repay this loan as the payments continue to balloon.

Until this debt gets refinanced this theatre noir will continue with the middle class and the poor bearing the brunt of the tax increases and loss of essential services.

None of Rauner’s agenda will ever benefit 99% of Illinois residents.

Rauner now wants to ransom essential services in exchange for ALEC based attacks on middle class worker’s rights.

Rauner is not a Governor of the people, he is a Governor of the businesses and the wealthy.

Comment by Chicago 20 Friday, May 29, 15 @ 7:16 pm
Shake up Springfield or shake down? He is acting just the same as the people he so thoroughly criticized in his campaign. Actions speak louder than empty words and promises.

Comment by Ginhouse Tommy Friday, May 29, 15 @ 7:54 pm
Sage-seriously dude, “stand fast”, “the people, mandate, etc.” I think it’s required that you stand on a balcony when spouting such dramatics.

Comment by efudd Friday, May 29, 15 @ 9:03 pm
“He’s right. Get your foot in the door.”

Except, no door is wide enough for Rauner’s foot. The general assembly will pass a budget without Rauner’s blessing. None of the “reforms” he has been advocating will be passed by the general assembly. You can’t shake hands with someone when he is standing on the opposite side of the Grand Canyon.

Comment by Ultimata Friday, May 29, 15 @ 9:12 pm
20, so how did the property tax freeze lead to a state revenue shortfall! and exactly what was the shortfall?

Comment by Anonymous Friday, May 29, 15 @ 9:19 pm
== Don’t make the perfect the enemy of the half-good. ==

Also, you can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometime, you get what you need a little at a time. (With respect to Messrs. Jagger and Richards.)

Comment by Cheswick Friday, May 29, 15 @ 10:40 pm
- Wordslinger - Friday, May 29, 15 @ 5:07 pm:

Sage, you’re kidding yourself if you don’t think the governor needs or wants new revenue for his proposed budget.

I didn’t say that. I said we are watching a dance. A better word would have been we are watching a “negotiation”. The Governor would be foolish to concede on revenue before the Democratic causes leaders concede on key reforms. Ultimately, I believe both sides will take that deal, but it will require Governor Rauner standing fast in opposition to additional revenue or unbalanced budgets, with actual or threatened vetoes, until he turns up the heat enough (in the court of public opinion) on the Democratic causes leaders, such that they can concede on structural reforms and he can concede on revenue.

Comment by Anonymous Saturday, May 30, 15 @ 1:49 pm
- Wordslinger - Friday, May 29, 15 @ 5:07 pm:

Sage, you’re kidding yourself if you don’t think the governor needs or wants new revenue for his proposed budget.

I didn’t say that. I said we are watching a dance. A better word would have been we are watching a “negotiation”. The Governor would be foolish to concede on revenue before the Democratic causes leaders concede on key reforms. Ultimately, I believe both sides will take that deal, but it will require Governor Rauner standing fast in opposition to additional revenue or unbalanced budgets, with actual or threatened vetoes, until he turns up the heat enough (in the court of public opinion) on the Democratic causes leaders, such that they can concede on structural reforms and he can concede on revenue.

Comment by Sage Saturday, May 30, 15 @ 1:49 pm