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From the mouths of babes

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* Recently appointed Sen. Chuck Weaver (R-Peoria) on Gov. Rauner’s Turnaround Agenda…

“He understands that our state is not business friendly and what comes from that is insufficient employment and what comes from that is insufficient revenue for the state and what comes from that is a poor bond rating,” Weaver says. “That’s what this whole budget impasses is about, is that the Governor is asking for some serious reform to how our state looks at business and his desire to make our state more business friendly.”

I think that’s a better, more succinct summation than the governor has ever given.

Trouble is, Gov. Rauner has so far made this impasse far too much about whacking unions and not nearly enough about finding tough but do-able, bipartisan ways of moving the state forward. There are potential deals out there if he wants them.

* And then there’s stuff like this…

The governor said in the Quad-Cities that he had already compromised to help reach a budget deal but Democrats are refusing to budge and just want to raise taxes. Democratic leaders in the House and Senate have said they want a balanced approach that includes cutbacks in spending.

Gov. Rauner said he has dropped his request for legislation to allow right-to-work zones in Illinois and to stop “trial lawyers” from contributing to campaign funds of judges.

As I’ve said many times before, when you stop demanding things that would never pass in a gazillion years, that’s not a compromise, that’s just a woefully belated recognition of hard reality. You get no credit from the other side when that happens.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Oct 27, 15 @ 10:58 am

Comments

===…and not nearly enough about finding tough but do-able, bipartisan ways of moving the state forward. There are potential deals out there if he wants them.===

Spot On, Rich… spot on.

The Legislative and Press Shops have allowed Rauner himself to frame his goals in a way that doesn’t allow for Legislative compromise and refuses to let anything out of the Press shop to sound less than “My way or the Highway, and Democrats are preventing”

Boy, I despise watching politics played badly. Here is one of those instances.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Oct 27, 15 @ 11:03 am
This is all about who gets the political blame.

Comment by Hedley Lamarr Tuesday, Oct 27, 15 @ 11:06 am
Huh? I thought the Gov. didn’t care about bond ratings.

Comment by burbanite Tuesday, Oct 27, 15 @ 11:06 am
Rauner started in january with what, 44 bullet points, he wanted. Thats a pretty hefty deck to be dealing from. Plenty of room for “compromise”, to get the six little things he wants.

Comment by Langhorne Tuesday, Oct 27, 15 @ 11:06 am
I can agree with the Senator’s synopsis but I don’t agree that each and every one of the Governor’s Turnaround Agenda proposals will make Illinois business friendly.

If the Republicans would at least open a dialog on how to make Illinois more business friendly then we could see some movement. But it’s those 5 proposals and nothing else.

Comment by Sir Reel Tuesday, Oct 27, 15 @ 11:08 am
I’m still waiting to see the numbers about how the drop in income tax has led to new jobs and new taxpayers.

My understanding — albeit limited — is that by cutting government and lowering taxes we should be in really, really good shape. The lack of a budget has certainly — slowly — trimmed down government services. This is a good thing, no? Why aren’t the GOP talking about how good it is that services are being trimmed down? Granted, it’s involuntary — somewhat, at least — but it certainly is happening.

Where are the numbers? Why aren’t we seeing more jobs and more growth?

What I’m seeing instead is a Kansas-in-the-making.

Comment by Frenchie Mendoza Tuesday, Oct 27, 15 @ 11:11 am
Some one has to stop and start to compromise . This drift we are in needs some leadership. This is what the Governor should be doing instead of governing by press release.
Who in their right mind would want to move into this state?

Comment by Mokenavince Tuesday, Oct 27, 15 @ 11:16 am
The Governor’s idea of compromise is to withdraw a proposal that is patently unconstitutional? No wonder we’re in gridlock.

Comment by Unspun Tuesday, Oct 27, 15 @ 11:18 am
This is like a bar fight the first one to the cops and file charges is the winner

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Oct 27, 15 @ 11:18 am
No trust no compromise

Comment by Honeybear Tuesday, Oct 27, 15 @ 11:19 am
I agree with Sir Reel. The Trib just ran a series on improving the tech sector. Their recommendations included items like increasing venture capital and mentors and linking U of I to the Chicago tech scene. There was no mention of unions or workers comp.

Comment by Chicago Guy Tuesday, Oct 27, 15 @ 11:23 am
If Weaver keeps up the communications skills displayed here, he will be a heavyweight in the GOP caucus! I’m a firm believer less is better when rehashing in public the state of play.

Comment by DuPage Don Tuesday, Oct 27, 15 @ 11:24 am
“Gov. Rauner said he doesn’t expect any resolution to the budget impasse until January and doesn’t expect any agreement will come out of a planned meeting with Democratic leaders in the legislature next month. He accused Democrats of attempting to increase pressure on him by allowing the budget impasse to continue.

“They want the pressure of no scholarships for kids, they want the pressure of no childcare as a way to push the process, that’s the only explanation I can give,” Gov. Rauner said.” Yea THEY want the pressure. Already saying he doesn’t expect an agt. from the mtg. is very telling about his “good faith” in participating in the mtg. So its a sham mtg? But I thought it was the Gov’s meeting.

Comment by burbanite Tuesday, Oct 27, 15 @ 11:29 am
== There are potential deals out there if he wants them. ==

But … But … But … CEOs and Govs don’t make deals, they just give orders …

Until he loses the CEO mindset, nothing, absolutely nothing, is going to happen.

Comment by RNUG Tuesday, Oct 27, 15 @ 11:29 am
== Rauner started in january with what, 44 bullet points, he wanted. Thats a pretty hefty deck to be dealing from. Plenty of room for “compromise”, to get the six little things he wants. ==

Not really, when something like 40 - 42 of them were DOA because of the “poison pills” that were included in them.

Comment by RNUG Tuesday, Oct 27, 15 @ 11:32 am
I thnk Sen. Weaver missed a couple of meaningless buzz words there.

How “business-friendly” is the state these days to state vendors and contractors in his district?

If they could sell it on real-world economic and fiscal projections, they would have done so by now. It’s about political power, nothing else.

Comment by Wordslinger Tuesday, Oct 27, 15 @ 11:42 am
Don’t put Sen. Weaver in the NASA rocket scientist HOF yet….his first public utterance on the TAA was to say he supports but it does not need to be done right away, all at once or before the budget. Remember this epic figure joins us from the Peoria City Council. We think he is a farmer too TA DA!

Comment by Anonin' Tuesday, Oct 27, 15 @ 11:56 am
Governor Rauner may have downgraded his virulent anti-working class attacks from all unions to just public sector unions, but working people have seen this script before. It is the same one his hero in Wisconsin acted out. There are plenty of reforms to be had, it is just that the governor won’t have them because they don’t cripple working families.

Comment by Precinct Captain Tuesday, Oct 27, 15 @ 11:58 am
Nice platitudes, but the reality is that nobody has presented any evidence that their so-called “reforms” will actually work. In the meantime, the devastating effect of the budget impasse is all too evident.

Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Oct 27, 15 @ 12:02 pm
Please explain all the deals that are out there willing to be made. I have seen no movement toward making Illinois more friendly to business.

Comment by Shoe doctor Tuesday, Oct 27, 15 @ 12:18 pm
I generally do not agree with BR’s turnaround proposals, other than neutral redistricting and term limits. The GA, and most posters here, clearly do not believe the reforms BR has proposed have been shown to improve the business climate in this state. I don’t dispute that.

That said, multiple members of the GA, particularly the leaders, are significantly responsible for our current situation. In my view, this was based on their individual desires for re-election creating incentives to kick the can down the road.

So, does the GA have any responsibility to offer any reforms whatsoever, regardless of what BR wants? Or just pass the budget? Maybe if they actually offered up some alternatives that would prevent spending more than we have and/or hiding the ball as to how much our needs/wants cost, they could get significantly more public support. So many here, again, seem to think that any desire to change the way things are done is automatically supporting BRs agenda. I disagree, and I see nothing coming from the GA in this regard - absolutely nothing. Is it not fair to say that the GA should get no credit for failing to offer any alternative to BR in terms of actual reform of how we do business before we pass a budget? Or should they be able to just sit back and blame? How is that any different than what everyone here complains about BR?

Comment by Kodachrome Tuesday, Oct 27, 15 @ 12:26 pm
So in the spirit of true compromise and recognizing that commenters here have all ready identified what Rauner should budge on (or better yet, forget), what should the Dems compromise on?

Comment by A Watcher Tuesday, Oct 27, 15 @ 12:40 pm
==I think that’s a better, more succinct summation than the governor has ever given.

Trouble is, Gov. Rauner has so far made this impasse far too much about whacking unions and not nearly enough about finding tough but do-able, bipartisan ways of moving the state forward.==

Governor Rauner has the most significant messaging operation in the state (possibly excluding Durbin and Kirk). If the message he’s transmitting is that it’s all about whacking unions…it’s all about whacking unions.

Comment by Arsenal Tuesday, Oct 27, 15 @ 12:53 pm
“He understands that our state is not business friendly”

Which is code for pushin’ down wages and proceeding with the race to the bottom. That’s why Rauner and his supporters want so badly to weaken unions. That’s why when workers tried to unionize in Chattanooga, certain super-rich interests freaked out and rushed down there and campaigned against the efforts.

Here is an article on the return of lower paying manufacturing jobs to America:

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/10/onshoring-jobs/412201/

“insufficient employment”

As long as we voters swallow this blackmail (jobs won’t come unless we push down wages and benefits), the so-called middle class will continue to stagnate or get worse.

Comment by Grandson of Man Tuesday, Oct 27, 15 @ 12:54 pm
=== Plenty of room for “compromise”, to get the six little things he wants. ===

No room for compromise if those “six little things” are non-starters for Democrats.

Comment by forwhatitsworth Tuesday, Oct 27, 15 @ 12:55 pm
Rich -

The governor is not the least bit interested in making Illinois more attractive to businesses.

It is a schtick.

The governor’s sole interest is partisan.

He’d be thrilled if 1000 businesses left Illinois tomorrow if he could blame it on Madigan.

Thrilled, and that is no exaggeration.

Comment by Juvenal Tuesday, Oct 27, 15 @ 1:51 pm
Chuck Weaver will be a good senator. He is sincere and very hard working. He is also very active in charitable causes around Peoria, and was so long before he became politically involved in the area

Comment by Peoria Guy Tuesday, Oct 27, 15 @ 2:09 pm
When discussing politics you sometimes hear folks talking about the redistribution of wealth. Typically they are complaining about taking more money from those who are doing well and distributing the money to those who aren’t doing as well and our most vulnerable citizens.
Some items in Rauner’s turnaround agenda, disabling collecting bargaining and ending prevailing wage is just more redistribution of wealth but working in the opposite direction. He is telling us that by giving those who are doing very well even more it will help the economy in the long run. He has yet to show any compelling statistical evidence to support his claim that this will be beneficial to the state. He is instead holding the budget hostage until the legislature caves in to his demands.

Comment by The Dude Abides Tuesday, Oct 27, 15 @ 2:16 pm
–There are potential deals out there if he wants them.–

That has been said a lot and sometimes I believe it, but most of the time I’m not entirely sold that the legislative democrats are willing to actually negotiate a better business and jobs climate. We’ve seen their version of workers comp reform and that is their current track record of passing business friendly reforms.

Sure the Governor took off the table his proposals that weren’t going to happen. But what has Madigan and Cullteron actually proposed? have they shown their hand on anything?

Comment by Ahoy! Tuesday, Oct 27, 15 @ 2:29 pm
==We’ve seen their version of workers comp reform and that is their current track record of passing business friendly reforms.==

Yeah, and there was an article right here today on how it’s starting to make progress. It’s by no means perfect, and on a completely separate note, it’s probably not what Rauner wants. But I don’t see how it demonstrates that Dems won’t deal on this issue.

==Sure the Governor took off the table his proposals that weren’t going to happen. But what has Madigan and Cullteron actually proposed?==

I’m not sure what the point of that question is besides burden shifting. No one has said, “We can’t finish the budget until we enact ANY reform.” Someone has said that we can’t finish the budget until we enact the Turnaround Agenda, though. Any alternative ideas anyone has are immaterial. By the Governor’s own terms, they won’t resolve the impasse.

Comment by Arsenal Tuesday, Oct 27, 15 @ 3:24 pm
MJM seems to understand that for a union supporter to advocate pro-business “reforms” is a slippery slope.

From Brian Mackey’s article: “Rauner also suggested removing wages, pensions, vacation, fringe benefits and work hours from the list of topics on which state-employee unions are allowed to bargain.”

You want private-sector workers to make concessions on workers’ comp and tort law? First let’s see where the public-sector unions are willing to concede collective bargaining.

Comment by Anon Tuesday, Oct 27, 15 @ 4:15 pm
== what should the Dems compromise on? ==

The House has passed a Work Comp bill that is just sitting in the Senate.

The D’s have also put a number of what would generally be classified as welfare cuts on the table.

Maybe the D’s should propose lowering the business income tax while eliminating all the various business loopholes (I’m not talking legit expenses). That would do more to help the small businesses who can’t afford to buy lobbyists to get special legislation passed. It would also cut some of the costs for big businesses. And it would be a Good Government step in starting to eliminate excessive lobbying.

Plus the D’s should be willing to put some votes to a permanent revenue solution; that would also be business friendly because businesses want certainty in their tax structure.

The D’s might even be willing to swallow, with no poison pills included, a ‘no strike’ provision for teachers and / or local voter approval of teacher’s contracts since both those actions would return control to local voters.

Comment by RNUG Tuesday, Oct 27, 15 @ 4:19 pm
== what should the Dems compromise on? ==

Their desire for a Millionaires Surcharge tax?

Their desire for a progressive income tax?

Comment by RNUG Tuesday, Oct 27, 15 @ 4:23 pm
No way is Weaver’s comment correct. It is the common GOP ideology and accepted as true by far to many Dems (DLC and Third way thinkers).

Fact - No business exists where there is not income.
People doing exchanging work for other items causes economy (even barter based)
Capitalist business are NOT necessary for an successful economy to operate.
Non-local businesses TAKE OUT MORE (profit) than they contribute.

To have a highly successful state, we must maximize the people who spend most of their income, i.e., the middle class. A single millionaire is likely taking $940,000 out of IL communities while only contributing $60K.

Comment by IL17Progressive Tuesday, Oct 27, 15 @ 4:54 pm
What could have legitimately been passed if Rauner had not put the brick on any legislation that did not include the union changes? Certainly a property tax freeze and there’s not a legit analysis out there that would show that collective bargaining changes equals revenue lost due to the freeze.

Comment by MyTwoCents Tuesday, Oct 27, 15 @ 5:27 pm
I wish RNUG could write the agenda for the meeting.

Comment by burbanite Tuesday, Oct 27, 15 @ 9:22 pm
“As I’ve said many times before, when you stop demanding things that would never pass in a gazillion years, that’s not a compromise…”

Can’t blame a guy for trying. It’s the same schtick AFSCME has used for years.

Comment by Regnad Kcin Tuesday, Oct 27, 15 @ 9:43 pm