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* Illinois Republican Party press release…

Illinois Republican Party Releases Robocalls
Calls highlight Democrats’ tax hike agenda, refusal to hold session

Yesterday Mike Madigan announced that he would cancel Wednesday’s planned House session for the second week in a row. Today, the Illinois Republican Party released robocalls in competitive House and Senate districts to highlight Madigan’s refusal to hold session and his plan to hold the state hostage in order to force a massive tax hike with no reforms on Illinois families.

* Sample robocall script…

This is a critical alert. House Speaker Michael Madigan again canceled votes in the legislature, putting public safety, vital services and our schools at risk.

And State Senator Gary Forby & State Representative John Bradley won’t go back to Springfield and stand up to House Speaker Mike Madigan to pass a balanced budget.

Together, Mike Madigan, Gary Forby & John Bradley are holding the state budget hostage to force a massive tax hike with no reforms and increase our state debt by billions.

Visit www.RebuildIllinois.com to sign the petition telling Gary Forby & John Bradley to put public safety, our schools and the needs of our district ahead of Chicago political boss Mike Madigan.

Gary Forby & John Bradley have been siding with Mike Madigan long enough.

Paid for by the Illinois Republican Party.

* Audio

* The Question: Rate it? Take the poll and then explain your rating in comments, please.


bike trails

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 1:54 pm

Comments

  1. GOPers are sure fattening the tax crow they are gonna have to eat. For that reason, F.

    Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 1:57 pm

  2. Good public service announcement!

    Comment by Georg Sande Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 1:59 pm

  3. I’m going to channel OW here a bit. This hook is going to catch with many voters. We don’t have a budget and the legislature is “on vacation”

    Now some may know that there’s no budget proposal to vote on anyway, but the vast majority will eat this up.

    Madigan, et al, really need to work on messaging and outreach.

    Comment by illini97 Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 1:59 pm

  4. I it an F. My criteria was how well the video honestly laid out the situation. The only person holding the budget hostage is Gov. Rauner. MJM has said from day one, almost daily, that the number one problem facing Illinois is the budget. He has also stated many times that the budget must be passed with cuts and revenue. Six times there have been appropriations passed when the Gov. would set aside his turn around agenda. Both sids have stated, and know that a tax increase is needed. Gov. Rauner is trying to get Dems to give in to his turn around agenda and then still get blamed for the tax increase that Gov. Rauner knows we need.

    Comment by facts are stubborn things Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 2:03 pm

  5. illini97 @ 1:59 pm:
    +1

    Comment by Mama Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 2:04 pm

  6. I think it would be helpful if Gov. Rauner could stop trashing the Dems long enough to negotiate with them. He keeps making it very personal and that does not help reach a deal….if that is what you are really wanting to do.

    Comment by facts are stubborn things Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 2:06 pm

  7. Voted “B”

    “Why?”

    This.

    “It doesn’t matter what I believe. It only matters what I can prove!” - Danny Kaffe…

    “It doesn’t matter what I can prove. It only matters what I can voters to believe!” - Raunerite Campaign Shop(?)

    Exactly right.

    (Tips cap to - illini97 -)

    Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 2:06 pm

  8. That was quite a critical alert.

    Comment by Ottawa Phil Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 2:07 pm

  9. “Illinois Republican Party Releases Robocalls”

    Because Republican voters just love getting robocalls? Now if they said “Illinois Republican Party Announces Support for Anti-Robocall Legislation” *that* would get an A.

    Comment by lake county democrat Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 2:08 pm

  10. I gave it an F because it’s June and the resources could be better spent elsewhere. But the same message will get better over time. Next month I’d give it a D. If they run the same ad every month from here on out they’ll be up to an A by October when it really counts.

    Comment by pundent Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 2:10 pm

  11. F Republicans want to end waste and fraud not fund government services.

    Comment by Liberty Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 2:15 pm

  12. To be a bit clearer…

    It’s “B-/C+”… but I “rounded up”

    Those concerned about the monies and energy, remember, the monies for the Raunerites are unlimited. There’s no such thing as a waste of resources when the faucet has not switch to stop the cash.

    Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 2:17 pm

  13. Fast forward: Forby and Bradley vote against the Rauner Tax, backed by Radogno and Durkin.

    Now what?

    Comment by Juvenal Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 2:18 pm

  14. I give it a C figuring Informed voters will give it an F and Uninformed voters will give it an A.

    Comment by BluegrassBoy Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 2:19 pm

  15. I give the great majority of robocalls an “F”, regardless of who puts them out or the message, because the medium is obnoxious, annoying and ineffective.

    The only exceptions are those that feature a popular personality reading the script.

    Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 2:23 pm

  16. Love the folks who say Rauner is holding the budget hostage. I don’t remember when someone changed the constitution giving the Gov control of the legislative branch. Thanks for the news! FYI If the G A Democrats were serious about policy and the state they would have passed a reasonable balanced budget for the governor to sign. It’s not on him until they pass something reasonable. They haven’t.

    Comment by Stan Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 2:27 pm

  17. “This is a critical alert”. Poor opening line, I would say the hang up rate after that phrase is very high.

    Comment by Saluki Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 2:31 pm

  18. Solid B. They won’t stand up to the Chicago Boss holding the state budget hostage.

    Simple message that packs a punch.

    Comment by Louis G. Atsaves Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 2:33 pm

  19. - Stan -

    Ugh.

    So Governor Rauner should let the Legislative Branch dictate spending in his agencies and…

    … the Legislature should dictate to Rauner his monetarily priorities as Governor?

    Geez, Louise, you’re saying Rauner is a passive member of governing the agencies, the appointees he appoints, and the missions of these agencies in state government?

    ===I don’t remember when someone changed the constitution giving the Gov control of the legislative branch.===

    Hows about Gov. Rauner tell the Legislstive how he sees monies should be spent in his agencies.

    (Sigh)

    Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 2:34 pm

  20. Absurd spin from the Rauner enablers. Rauner has created the crisis just as he promised on the campaign trail.

    Comment by GOP Extremist Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 2:34 pm

  21. ===They won’t stand up to the Chicago Boss holding the state budget hostage.===

    Oh - Louis G Atsaves -

    If you’re saying Rauner is feeble and inept, I guess we agree, lol!

    Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 2:35 pm

  22. F…. Did they make the ad while driving to work???

    Comment by The Muse Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 2:40 pm

  23. I gave it an A. People will eat this up.

    I just have to wonder how Rauner will explain the massive tax hike and insurmountable debt that must come for us when this is all over. Rauner has to roll a hard Six.

    Comment by Honeybear Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 2:42 pm

  24. exactly Bluegrass Boy.

    C

    “won’t go back to Springfield and stand up to House Speaker Mike Madigan to pass a balanced budget.”

    “…are holding the state budget hostage to force a massive tax hike with no reforms and increase our state debt by billions.”

    The uninformed voter has no idea that Rauner is the only Governor since we became a state in December, 1818, to not have a budget. He/she just hears the repetitive message bought by you know who.

    The informed voter knows that a “massive tax hike” will be necessary for a balanced current budget, and to cover the growing $7+billion in state debt, all from Bruce Rauner playing political games with peoples lives for his “reforms” which would mostly benefit the privileged class.

    Dems need to use the same buzzwords, but redefine them.

    Rauner is paying for the words, now mix it up and come in on top of their message.

    Balanced budget, Madigan, reforms, state debt, public safety, vital services, schools.

    Comment by cdog Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 2:43 pm

  25. -Absurd spin from the Rauner enablers. Rauner has created the crisis just as he promised on the campaign trail.-
    Oh yes. How absurd it is to want the General Assembly to pass a balanced budget.

    Comment by Stan Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 2:44 pm

  26. Unless I recognize the phone number, I don’t answer. If I get spoofed and hear an automated message, I hang up immediately.

    Comment by Huh? Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 2:45 pm

  27. - Stan -

    So Rauner shouldn’t want to have a “say” in how his agencies are funded?

    That’s fun.

    Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 2:47 pm

  28. C- that Critical Alert to start with I think will cause folks to hang up right at the beginning.

    Comment by OneMan Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 2:48 pm

  29. -So Rauner shouldn’t want to have a “say” in how his agencies are funded?-

    Of course he should. But if two sides can’t come to an agreement, the majority party needs to take control and pass what they believe is the best budget they can pass. If the governor signs it, all is well. If he vetoes something reasonable, then it is on the governor. I don’t remember Madigan caring about Quinn and Blago so much.

    Comment by Stan Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 2:57 pm

  30. It’s a misrepresentation. Rauner created this crisis and blames it on others. That’s why it’s a F.

    Rauner’s goal is to bankrupt every state and local agency of government and seek Chapter 9 bankruptcy relief if he can. He is not interested in how agencies are funded, just that they are not funded and government is shut down.

    Comment by Retired Lawyer Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 3:01 pm

  31. ===holding the state budget hostage to force a massive tax hike with no reforms and increase our state debt by billions.===

    Sigh. You can accuse the Democrats of favoring a tax hike with no reforms OR increasing the debt by billions, but not both.

    Pick a lane.

    Comment by 47th Ward Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 3:06 pm

  32. ===I don’t remember Madigan caring about Quinn and Blago so much===

    That was an intra-party squabble.

    Please keep up. Geez.

    ===But if two sides can’t come to an agreement, the majority party needs to take control and pass what they believe is the best budget they can pass. If the governor signs it, all is well. If he vetoes something reasonable, then it is on the governor.===

    That’s what happened when Rauner vetoed everything but the K-12 funding, so according to you, Rauner owns this impasse.

    What you explained has already happened.

    Please keep up with the talking points. You’re arguing with yourself.

    Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 3:06 pm

  33. Once again the inept Raunerite Press Shop has come up with a simple ( not saying necessarily completely truthful ) message that will play well in certain quarters and with the “low information voters” who are clueless about the backside of the ad.

    This is only the beginning!

    Comment by illini Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 3:06 pm

  34. I have no idea what the script is supposed to mean, and wouldn’t stay on the phone long enough to listen to it anyway

    Comment by WIll Caskey Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 3:07 pm

  35. worked well to kick McCann out of office and save Dunkin…. i am sure this is the key to success for the gop in illinois. Tie people to madigan just has to be a winner, its not like madigan could even protect himself he name drives votes so well

    Comment by Ghost Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 3:08 pm

  36. =How absurd it is to want the General Assembly to pass a balanced budget=. Yes, particularly when you’re incapable or unwilling to propose one.

    Comment by pundent Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 3:09 pm

  37. The dishonesty is breathtaking, but it’s fairly effective.

    Comment by Eugene Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 3:10 pm

  38. Stan and Louis, I guess you missed the last 18 months or so when the governor has publicly insisted on certain pre-conditions before signing any budget.

    As Gov. Edgar has noted, that’s never happened before in Illinois.

    “I think if you got to the budget, and dealt with revenues and expenditures, you could probably get an agreement. But that’s not what’s been holding this up. What’s been holding this up is the ‘Turnaround Agenda,’ which Gov. Rauner has inserted. And whether you like it or not, that is something different than usually what happened in the past.”

    Boss Madigan and the former GOP governors he controls….

    http://nprillinois.org/post/whos-really-holding-illinois-hostage

    Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 3:11 pm

  39. -That’s what happened when Rauner vetoed everything but the K-12 funding, so according to you, Rauner owns this impasse-

    First of all, that was a spending plan not a budget. It was not reasonable because it spent billions more than we take in each year. Next.

    Comment by Stan Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 3:11 pm

  40. ==Of course he should. But if two sides can’t come to an agreement, the majority party needs to take control and pass what they believe is the best budget they can pass.==

    Come on Stan. It has been explained here ad nauseam that Rauner has a constitutional duty as Governor to put forward a balanced budget. His own budget was billions out of whack, relying heavily on imaginary pension savings that will never be realized due to various ILSC rulings. He knows there is a need for a tax hike. Do you really expect the Dems to take all of the arrows for that hike when Rauner’s own budget necessitates it? Let’s be real.

    Comment by CrazyHorse Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 3:11 pm

  41. C
    It’s just telling us what we already know.

    It is preaching to the choir about Madigan and the Dem’s failure if that is what you want to hear.

    If you’re better informed, you’ll think Meh and hang-up.

    Comment by Belle Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 3:13 pm

  42. - Stan -

    You’re arguing with yourself, troll behavior.

    See - Wordslinger -’s link, get back to us.

    Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 3:14 pm

  43. Dems need a “Truth is..” campaign.

    “Rauner says, …. Truth is……”

    Comment by cdog Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 3:16 pm

  44. Gave it a D, way too long and not on point. I’m also assuming they wanted it to sound like a public safety alert because it would get people to listen to it for longer, which is somewhat clever and why I did not give it an F.

    Comment by Ahoy! Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 3:16 pm

  45. C.

    It probably isn’t going to be perceived well that the Assembly isn’t in session. That said, I think most know that if Forby and Bradley cross Madigan, that it will have serious political ramifications. They are in between a rock and a hard place.

    At least I’d like to think most know that.

    Comment by Southern Illinois Hoopdee Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 3:21 pm

  46. “First of all, that was a spending plan not a budget.”

    It was a budget. Even Rauner called it a budget before he vetoed it.

    “It was not reasonable because it spent billions more than we take in each year.”

    Rauner’s proposed budget also was billions out of whack. But passing either of those would have left the state much better off financially than vetoing all of them but one has.

    “Next”

    Ok: “Democrats were serious about policy and the state they would have passed a reasonable balanced budget for the governor to sign. It’s not on him until they pass something reasonable.”

    Article VIII, Section 2(a) of the Illinois Constitution: “(a) The Governor shall prepare and submit to the General Assembly, at a time prescribed by law, a State budget for the ensuing fiscal year.”

    Section 2(b): “The General Assembly by law shall make appropriations for all expenditures of public funds by the State.”

    The General Assembly can’t do its duty in (b) until the governor does his duty in (a). For two years in a row now, he hasn’t.

    Comment by Nick Name Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 3:26 pm

  47. ===The General Assembly can’t do its duty in (b) until the governor does his duty in (a)===

    Says who?

    That’s a ridiculous argument devoid of reality.

    Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 3:29 pm

  48. F. Everything bad/wrong about robocalls in one robocall.

    Comment by Touré's Latte Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 3:43 pm

  49. You’d have to have the IQ of a newt to be persuaded by such a negative ad.

    Comment by Maguffin Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 3:55 pm

  50. The number of votes this will change is in single digits. I guess they feel they have to do something, but the content and quality are pretty cheesy.

    Comment by orzo Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 4:03 pm

  51. I gave it an F. The bashing is beyond old and seems childish. Rauner is not being taken seriously.

    Comment by Flynn's mom Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 4:12 pm

  52. I gave it a “F” because it is not factual and misleads the listeners.

    Comment by Observer Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 4:15 pm

  53. == But if two sides can’t come to an agreement, the majority party needs to take control and pass what they believe is the best budget they can pass. If the governor signs it, all is well. If he vetoes something reasonable, then it is on the governor. ==

    Stan, it was within the Governor’s power to balance that budget. Other Governors, including Pat Quinn, have done so by either amendatory or just reserving a percentage of the budget. Rauner chose not to … because he won’t take the arrows; he, and only he, owns not having a budget.

    Comment by RNUG Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 4:29 pm

  54. Gave it an A because the news reporters and editors cannot comprehend that, with ads like these, there will be no budget and no revenues that Forby and Bradley will support.
    That’s why…We’re winnin’!

    Comment by Winnin' Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 4:38 pm

  55. Even now, hard to give more than a D to any political robocall. They are cheap to buy, but sell cheaper.

    Comment by walker Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 4:40 pm

  56. An “averaged” C for me. An F because I hate robocalls and I suspect many folks do as well, and an A for a simple, if misleading message for those who stick around.

    I couldn’t listen to the whole thing, fwiw.

    Comment by Arthur Andersen Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 4:57 pm

  57. Enough of the mud slinging already. All you elected shirkers, just do your job. Sheech!

    Comment by WETHEPEOPLE Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 5:03 pm

  58. Gave it a D because it is a very weak message; need to strengthen by talking more about the advantages of a balanced budget. We all know there need to be changes in this embarrassing state we call Illinois.

    Comment by Big Mike Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 5:03 pm

  59. Many references to ” an informed voter”. I am trying to figure that one out. Does that exclude voters with a vested personal interest financially? does that exclude totally partisan voters? Old Blue is going to put the percentage of “informed voters” without bias at around 3%. That may be a high number.

    Comment by blue dog dem Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 5:53 pm

  60. I gave it an “F” because I don’t like robocalls. Let’s apply the partisan test and say it’s Mike Madigan’s recorded voice telling me we don’t have a budget because right-wing oligarchs don’t want us to have one”. I’d worry that people wouldn’t consider if it’s true because like me, they don’t like in intrusiveness of robo-calls. I’d also worry that I was on some kind of “low information voter” list because someone thinks I could be influenced by a robo-call, and I’d want the people selling this approach to the speaker fired for insulting my intelligence, and not understanding the constituency.

    Comment by James Knell Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 5:55 pm

  61. Gave it an F. How can I be scared without scary music. The female voice could have at least been more breathy and urgent.

    Comment by Triple fat Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 6:08 pm

  62. I gave it a ‘D’ for “dumb.”

    I agree with those like Lou Lang: if it were solely up to the governor, we would never pass a budget and a way to pay for it. Pretty obvious a personal income tax increase will cost the governor atleast a few million a year, cost his backers much, much more.

    But I don’t believe it is entirely up to Rauner. Time is his enemy, and it is the one enemy no man can defeat, and the one resource that can never be replenished in a political campaign.

    Sooner or later, there will be a budget, and the sooner the better for Rauner. The longer he waits, the more it will cost. The more political damage that is done, the more salve he will have to apply. And the more he attacks Democrats, the more Republicans he will be compelled to put on the vote for a tax hike.

    The best case scenario for Rauner is a tax hike passed by a general assembly controlled by two democratic super-majorities. That means more democrats to vote for the tax hike, more blame to be hoisted on Democrats.

    Wait until after the election to raise taxes, and it’s heads you lose, tails I win. If Durkin can’t manage to pick up more than a few gimmes, Democrats are gonna be even more entrenched and the GOP will rightly question its leaders. But if Durkin manages some big upsets, it only means we wait until January or later to vote on a budget and a way to pay for it, and Durkin gets to put 40 GOP votes on a tax hike instead of 35, and this time they won’t have Madigan to blame.

    And guess what? Still no more Democratic votes for a Turnaround Agenda than they have today.

    Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 6:30 pm

  63. F. Any robo-call that starts with “This is a critical alert” with a robotic tone like that doesn’t make it past that statement, no matter what the message is that follows that.

    Comment by Jimmy Baseball Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 9:38 pm

  64. Grade A, we are tired of Forby and Bradley in Souteern Illinois. Wait until October when they try to sell up the Star Bonds bull again for the 5th time and the big shopping center Williamson County, we AIN”T buying this time.

    Comment by the old man Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 9:50 pm

  65. ===”As Gov. Edgar has noted, that’s never happened before in Illinois.”===

    The same Gov. Edgar who once demanded property tax caps before a budget?

    Comment by Louis G Atsaves Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 10:02 pm

  66. Oh - Louis G Atsaves -, lol

    http://goo.gl/3×2cH0

    Read the Edgar quotes..

    Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 10:24 pm

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