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You just can’t get any more “Bruce Rauner” than this

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* Check out the governor’s Q&A with reporters today. Classic BVR, from his goals as governor to his bashing of Illinois’ current economic climate…

Click to listen

…Adding… Tribune…

Gov. Bruce Rauner unveiled a new program Tuesday aimed at helping minority and women entrepreneurs grow their businesses, saying African-Americans didn’t come to Chicago “because we had a great welfare system or a great minimum wage,” but because they were seeking opportunity that has since “bled away.” […]

Asked if the state could make a greater impact by recruiting large, established businesses into struggling minority communities, Rauner said the focus instead should be on improving opportunity.

“The money follows the opportunity, and that’s what we got to get across,” Rauner said. “Here’s what’s happening. African-Americans are in Chicago in massive numbers. They didn’t come here because we had a great welfare system or a great minimum wage. That’s not why they’re here. That’s not why the people of Illinois are here. We’re here for opportunity.”

He continued: “Chicago used to be one of the greatest cities in the world, one of the fastest growing, most economically dynamic cities in the world. That’s why we’re all here. That’s why my ancestors, my grandparents — great grandparents — came to Chicago. That’s why our families are here. That opportunity is being bled away. It’s not about a government program. It’s not about more government money. We are not competitive in Chicago. We’re not competitive in the state of Illinois.”

* AP…

Gov. Bruce Rauner says he thinks General Electric bypassed Illinois for its new headquarters because of the “trajectory” of the state’s fiscal problems. […]

Rauner says company officials didn’t want to go from “one failed state to another.” He cited Connecticut’s property taxes, income tax and pension problems.

It’s amazing to me that he can say stuff like this without ever thinking that maybe, just maybe, he’s at least partially to blame for our alleged “failed state” situation.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 4:41 pm

Comments

What? I’m just SMDH. I mean….I can’t even think of anything to say. LOL!

Comment by sideline watcher Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 4:51 pm
We have O’Hare Airport? Who knew.

Comment by Dave Dahl Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 4:52 pm
Bash Away Bruce just keeps bashing away.

Comment by No Longer A Lurker Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 4:55 pm
-It’s not about a government program.-

Wait wait I’m confused here. You mean not like the government program ADME which increases opportunity? Someone tell me what the good thing is again! Is it opportunity? Oh right but not through government programs or government money…..wait except maybe this government money and programs….this is fine..opportunity…..Madigan is a sham…yep..go team Rauner!

Comment by Honeybear Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 4:56 pm
Such B.S. GE was really worried that their 800 white collar workers were going to be impacted by right-to-work.

Comment by Blue dog dem Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 4:58 pm
In my office he’d go on the “Ignant” list. Let me use it in a sentence. “That mug is ignant”.

Comment by Honeybear Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 4:59 pm
I’ll let you know the results …

Just before the end of the audio, the governor detailed many of the places he’s gone to recruit businesses. Without breaking confidences, can you provide any details of these trips?

The governor said Connecticut is where Illinois is going to be in a few years. Does that mean Connecticut is now better, and Illinois will improve; or that Connecticut is now worse, and Illinois will decline.

And thank you.

Comment by Dave Dahl Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 5:00 pm
HBO - “Dad’s Home State”, Season 2, Episode 11

Bruce talks at press conference, accidently uses dot points for a Pinewood Derby he’s attending later. Diana writes an email memo to herself, absolving herself from anything hurting anyone, then blasts it out. Diana’s Crisis Manager discusses Diana’s new TV Ad campaign. Lance tweets pictures of Ken Dunkin to Rep. Lang, “ck” waits by her computer for Mike Schrimpf to say something quotable. Comedy, 64 minutes.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 5:00 pm
This sounds exactly like Bruce Rauner from a year or more ago. He hasn’t changed, he hasn’t learned that he is the head of only one of the branches of government, and he certainly hasn’t learned the art of compromise. Based on that interview, I think it’s a safe bet that we will never have labor peace, CPS will be insolvent, and there will never be a budget deal, at least as long as he is in office.

Comment by AC Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 5:03 pm
==Chicago used to be one of the greatest cities in the world ==

Still is.
==one of the fastest growing==

Chicago/cities across the nation stopped growing in the 50’s due to highways and trains that take you to suburbs (eg Winnetka). The 1890-1950 growth was heavily due to immigrants, but we can’t allow a few Syrians in now?

==most economically dynamic cities in the world==

Any way you rank it, Chicago is immensely important in the global economy (please see here:http://www.citylab.com/work/2015/03/sorry-london-new-york-is-the-worlds-most-economically-powerful-city/386315/ )

But, I can see the Governor’s point that the only way to rise in the rankings is to become right-to-work and low-tax havens like NYC, London, Paris, Los Angeles, Stockholm, Toronto…

Comment by Jimmy CrackCorn Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 5:08 pm
–“Chicago used to be one of the greatest cities in the world, one of the fastest growing, most economically dynamic cities in the world.–

I guess every city but Tokyo, New York and Los Angeles must be hellholes.

Because they’re the only cities in the world with a larger GDP than Chicago’s.

That nice Mr. Rauner at World Business Chicago seemed to know that. What happened to him?

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1489306

Still nothing good to say about those nice UAW people and the $1 billion they got Ford to invest in their Chicago plants?

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 5:08 pm
There’s nothing GE hates more than government insiders

Comment by LizPhairTax Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 5:09 pm
==There’s nothing GE hates more than government insiders==

That’s comedy gold right there!

Comment by AC Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 5:10 pm
===They didn’t come here because we had a great welfare system or a great minimum wage. === Gee, Bruce, did anyone ever suggest that was the case? Where would you get such an idea?

Comment by X-prof Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 5:13 pm
“We’re here for opportunity”

Ah yes, the great hedge fund manager migration.

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 5:16 pm
Wouldn’t the refusal to negotiate a budget be a part of the fiscal problems. For God sakes Rauner, put your “turn around agenda” on hold and set down and negotiate a budget. After accomplishing that, turn your attention to the 2016 elections and ask for more republicans so you can move your agenda forward. You don’t get to move your “turn around agenda” with large majorities of Dems in both houses of the legislature. Be realistic about what you can accomplish…don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

Comment by Facts are Stubborn Things Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 5:18 pm
=== They didn’t come here because we had a great welfare system or a great minimum wage. ===

No, and they didn’t come to Chicago for “opportunity” per se either. They were fleeing the Jim Crow South.

From the Newberry Library:

Between 1915 and 1970, six million African Americans left their homes in the South and moved to states in the North and West. This massive movement of black citizens from one part of the United States to another is known as the Great Migration. Social conditions in the South provided many migrants with a strong incentive to leave: following Reconstruction, state legislatures throughout the South had passed laws mandating the separation of the races in every area of social life

Now, Chicago businesses - largely Republican-owned - spent massive amount advertising in the south to recruit black workers. But while while their was no minimum wage, they were certainly promised higher wages than in Mississippi. To say it was about some vague notion of economic opportunity and had nothing to do with wages is absurd.

The number of migrants grew particularly during WW I, when black from the south filled factory jobs left open as troops marshaled to Europe, precipitating the 1919 Chicago race riots.

For a good first hand account of those days, I recommend an old Chicago Daily News reporter by the name of Carl Sandburg.

It takes some chutzpah to ignore that racism was the single biggest driver of the Great Migration the day after Martin Luther King Day.

Like the bard said, “If you know your history
Then you would know where you coming from.”

Comment by Juvenal Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 5:18 pm
Sigh!

Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 5:21 pm
Has any one told him he is the Governor yet?

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 5:22 pm
Money follows opportunity just like my cayman island bank account

Comment by Rabid Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 5:23 pm
“We are not competitive in Chicago. We’re not competitive in the state of Illinois.”

Your governor, ladies and gentlemen.

– MrJM

Comment by @MisterJayEm Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 5:24 pm
Rauner runs down everything about Chicago and Illinois every time he speaks. So, where’s this so-called opportunity? I’m asking for substance, not spin. Another sham performance by the governor.

Comment by Wensicia Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 5:25 pm
Even though he’s the world’s worst cheerleader, I don’t want him to try harder by wearing a cheerleading uniform the way he wore Carhartt during the campaign. Perhaps describing Illinois as something other than a post apocalyptic wasteland with a government that would’ve made Stalin proud might convince some he’s actually the Governor. I mean, it’d be a start.

Comment by AC Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 5:34 pm
The GE executives were put off when Rauner picked them up in his van.

Comment by Dr X Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 5:43 pm
Love me some Honeybear, priceless!

To the Governor-

“Up yours pal!”

Humbly,
JS Mill

Comment by JS Mill Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 5:50 pm
GDP is a terrible statistic - it doesn’t correlate with wages or jobs at all. http://www.livingstandards.org/relationship-between-gdp-growth-and-income-growth/

In fact, African-Americans in Chicago have indeed been impacted by the loss of manufacturing more than other races. The West Side in particular. The double-whammy came when jobs less educated African-Americans were driven from jobs they often used to escape poverty by illegal immigrants and their children (and no, that’s not a slam on illegal immigrants - I’d give them all instant amnesty if we committed to a border fence and an E-verify system with teeth). Rauner isn’t responsible for this, but whatever jobs his anti-union policies would bring to Illinois, I doubt too many Chicago manufacturing plants would be included.

Comment by lake county democrat Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 6:00 pm
During the 2014 campaign Rauner said he would use Walker and Snyder as models as governor. Good luck with that.

Comment by Patrick Mauro Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 6:00 pm
The trouble is that he really believes all of this stuff. And mean ALL of it!

Comment by Federalist Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 6:10 pm
Wow — very surprised at the comments here.

It doesn’t matter one bit what Rauner says. So long as it’s remotely plausible, he’ll fire up and retain the base.

It’s not what he says, it’s the fact that he’s saying it. Over and over. That’s all that matters.

That raises money, keeps the base energized, and nudges “I’m not sure” voters ever so closer to his side. That’s all that matters. That’s all that ever matters.

It has nothing to with veracity.

Comment by Macbeth Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 6:21 pm
===It’s amazing to me that he can say stuff like this without ever thinking that maybe, just maybe, he’s at least partially to blame for our alleged “failed state” situation.===

Gov. Rauner continues to talk and act as if he is a disinterested 3rd party who has no direct connection to these issues.

Comment by Former Hoosier Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 7:30 pm
Macbeth - good points. Rauner is consistently laying out for the general public a vision for Illinois going forward. Meanwhile, the other side’s mantra is that we need a budget. My belief is that the Dems should talk more about how they’d move the state forward, because the average voter doesn’t like where Quinn left it.

Comment by Junior Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 8:03 pm
LOL…

===Rauner is consistently laying out for the general public a vision for Illinois going forward.===

You do realize that’s wfatca budget does, and outs a monetary commitment to those visions.

A governmental budget, by a Governor IS all you said, but… actually a real document of substance.

Pizza stale in the dorm, or… lol

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 8:14 pm
“You do realize that’s what a budget does, and points out a monetary commitment to those visions.”

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 8:16 pm
A complete and utter disappointment. A sham and a mockery as well. If the stakes weren’t so high this would be very funny. Unfortunately real people are suffering for his actions.

Comment by Johnny's in the Basement Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 9:06 pm
==African-Americans are in Chicago in massive numbers.==

And they are also leaving Chicago in ==massive numbers==, seeking better opportunities, schools and cost of living elsewhere.

USA Today May 2011 ==Chicago’s population fell by 200,418 from 2000 to 2010, and blacks accounted for almost 89% of that drop. == Joanna Trotter, community development director for Chicago’s Metropolitan Planning Council, says most blacks who have left the city probably were seeking better schools and more affordable homes.==

Comment by Formerly Known As... Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 9:38 pm
What if the givernor sees into some sort of inter dimensional portal to a parallel world very similar, but not quite the same, as our world? It’s as good a reason as any to try and make sense of why he believes the things that he does. It almost makes one actually think he is enjoying himself.

Comment by Forgottonian Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 9:53 pm
“It’s not about a government program. It’s not about more government money.”

To add to Juvenal’s excellent point, let me remind the governor and his ilk of a few forces shaping this nebulous, seemingly spontaneous “opportunity” they like to talk about so much.

Consider key contributors to the pool of potential black southern migrants during the 1930s:
AAA crop reduction program stimulating the eviction of black sharecroppers and tenants, increased mechanization, and discriminatory labor market in the industrial sector (which the NRA doesn’t address) exacerbate black economic inequality, particularly in the South. Average WPA wages in November 1938 shows us the sharp prevailing wage differential:
South: AR, FL, GA, NC, TN, SC at or under 25 cents per hour.
North: IL, MA, MT, WI at or over 60 cents per hour.

Then along comes WWII, which is going to spur the Second Great Migration. What drove this “opportunity”? Why nothing less than the granddaddy of all government programs! Say it with me: World War II was a massive exercise in deficit spending.

Debt was 117.5 percent of GDP by 1945; 121.7 percent in 1946.
These levels would have been even higher if not for…taxes! One of the most progressive we’ve ever had, in fact. $0-$1,999 paid 19 percent, followed by brackets all the way up 90 percent on income over $1 million. Taxes paid for 45 percent of all war expenses, and in 1945, federal taxes at 11.3 percent of personal income.

And you can bet your bass that blacks absolutely wanted a piece of that government cheese. That’s a key demand of A. Philip Randolph and the original March on Washington Movement. They wanted defense work opened up to them and demanded a government program (the FEPC) to ensure it was. FDR finally capitulated, and along with this, the National War Labor Board prohibited race-based wage differentials and the US Employment Service stopped honoring “white only” requests from defense plants. Government money made the jobs. Activism and government policy finally opened the jobs.

And as they moved into defense work wherever it exists, but especially concentrated in the urbanized north, a muscular CIO was busily enrolling them (aided by government policy) and looking to expand opportunity through collective bargaining. You can understand some of the reason they completed their shift to the Democratic Party.

To put it in the governor’s terms, they didn’t come because they expected an enlightened businessman to give them a good paying job. That’s not why the people of Illinois are here. We’re here because our ancestors worked incredibly hard to demand opportunity, creating institutions and a politics to advance that end.*

*And here is where VM’s earlier post comes in. Lacking the grand, mythic consensus that seems to only be offered by something like total war, increasing numbers of people are content to spin individuating myths and take their ball and go home, rather than engage in building, or even just committing to, a new integrating vision.

Comment by Harold's Left-wing Dinner Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 10:32 pm
Rauner owns it now. He can’t push it off on others. He is absolutely to blame for the current economic crisis. Don’t believe me? Go look at the Fed report from late last year that concluded a lack of spending in state and local government and especially a lack of hiring helped cut economic expansion from 4% in to first quarter to 2% in the third quarter. This is Rauner’s budget now. No one else to blame but the Governor.

Comment by Chilaborguy Tuesday, Jan 19, 16 @ 11:32 pm
I’m waiting for ck to weigh in with some fractured logic that it isn’t what he says, just as long as he says something that gets in the paper.

Comment by Commonsense in Illnois Wednesday, Jan 20, 16 @ 8:28 am
Just the other day Rauner praised Chicago when we acquired GE Healthcare. The real problem is that Rauner gets away with what he does, like when he slams public pensions yet praises them when it suits him.

“because we had a great welfare system or a great minimum wage”

No dog whistle here, move along. Whites don’t get welfare? Corporations don’t get welfare? How many corporations moved to Illinois or expanded here because of tax breaks?

Comment by Grandson of Man Wednesday, Jan 20, 16 @ 8:31 am