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* Chris Kaergard interviewed Gov. Rauner this week…
Q: It’s been a contentious last 18 months — and we’ve touched on this a couple times before on your past visits — but looking back on everything that’s happened, are there things that you can think of that perhaps you would’ve done differently or approached differently in that time to help you do your job better going forward?
A: Well, the one thing I probably, all of us should’ve done a better job of, I think, is communicate with you and others in the media as well as directly to the voters to get people to really understand what’s at stake and what’s going on. It’s hard to message, there’s a lot of complex issues. Your average person in Illinois doesn’t really even know what worker’s comp is. The average person doesn’t know really what’s going on in the pension system. They know their taxes are too high, they know we’ve got a deficit. But getting that message out and helping the people of Illinois really understand what’s going on, that’s hard. We probably should’ve done more of that, and come up with more creative ways to do it. We’ll try to get it better.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Jul 7, 16 @ 9:47 am
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Average For Sure - And Know What Worker’s Comp is For Sure - And Understand What is Really Going On For Sure - And For Sure Don’t Buy Rauner’s Baloney.
Comment by x ace Thursday, Jul 7, 16 @ 9:52 am
Rauner will go back to his hostage strategy after the election. Vote accordingly.
Comment by Norseman Thursday, Jul 7, 16 @ 9:53 am
Messaging ie campaigning is the ONLY thing he could come up with? *face palm*
Comment by Cubs in '16 Thursday, Jul 7, 16 @ 9:54 am
Hey, Rauner, here’s a wacky messaging idea: how about you tell voters *during the campaign* about your Turnaround Agenda.
You had it ready. You had it tweaked. Your advisors knew it. But the public didn’t.
How about you run a campaign based on what you anticipate doing? Instead of running a campaign where you badmouth the incombent for everything you’ve *since done*.
How about that? How about trying that for some on-point, directed messaging?
Oh wait. If you would have done that — you would have lost. Nevermind.
Comment by Formerly Known as Frenchie M Thursday, Jul 7, 16 @ 9:55 am
incumbent — not “incombent”
Comment by Formerly Known as Frenchie M Thursday, Jul 7, 16 @ 9:55 am
Wrong, governor. People dont need to fully understand the intricacies of work comp. What you should have done differently is realized that voters will never understand the details, nor do they want to. What they want is responsible governing with steady revenue to support needed services. The last thing voters want or need is more messaging from you or any other politicians. What you should have done differently is that you should have played the hand you were dealt. What you should have done was the job you were elected to do.
Comment by There They're Their Thursday, Jul 7, 16 @ 9:56 am
Evidently he feels the only issues Illinois faces are those on his turnaround agenda list. Talk about narrowly focused.
Comment by illinoised Thursday, Jul 7, 16 @ 9:57 am
@formerly:
Couldnt have said it better. Thank you!
Comment by Doug SimpsonBru Thursday, Jul 7, 16 @ 10:02 am
Hmm we changed workers compensation a couple years ago and that did not lower the cost of worker comp insurance to businesses. It just reduced the payments those insurance companies had to pay out. Which made them higher profits.
How about regulate those insurance companies to lower the cost of insurance to those businesses.
Comment by Publius Thursday, Jul 7, 16 @ 10:03 am
“should’ve done a better job of, I think, is communicate with you and others in the media as well as directly to the voters”
So what was his endless campaigning to blame the Democrats and Madigan about? Wasn’t that trying to get his message to the media and voters?
Comment by Huh? Thursday, Jul 7, 16 @ 10:03 am
–Your average person in Illinois doesn’t really even know what worker’s comp is. The average person doesn’t know really what’s going on in the pension system.–
Further proof that the governor thinks your average person in Illinois is really a moron.
I call BS. The average person in Illinois does know about those things as they are in the workforce.
The governor can’t sell his “message” because he doesn’t have the goods. He’s never identified an ROI that even comes close to justifying the willful damage he’s inflicting in the name of his agenda.
He tried once — giving some numbers to Rich — that projected his agenda would result in laughingly marginal results, under the best of circumstances.
The, he went apey on Rich in public for publishing them, accusing him of being a Madigan stooge.
His own numbers, mind you…..
Still waiting on those “revised” ROI projections you promised many months ago, governor.
For the big money he gave Arduin, Laffer and Moore, he should have just had them make up something ridiculous. That’s their bread-and-butter play, why you hire them in the first place.
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Jul 7, 16 @ 10:03 am
Introducing Squeezie (v.2) in 5..4..3..
Comment by Tatler Thursday, Jul 7, 16 @ 10:05 am
“The voters are stupid, I need to run more ad campaigns.”
Certainly not the lesson anyone else took from this Rauner-induced debacle.
Comment by Precinct Captain Thursday, Jul 7, 16 @ 10:05 am
Hasn’t he been on campaign for much of his term, going around the state and selling his TA in one way or another? What about that massive TA referendum campaign? The Rauner way is that when something doesn’t work, double down on it.
Comment by Grandson of Man Thursday, Jul 7, 16 @ 10:06 am
Translation: I should have lied better.
Comment by kimocat Thursday, Jul 7, 16 @ 10:07 am
All you need to know about Raunerite thinking is this…
===A: Well, the one thing I probably, all of us should’ve done a better job of, I think, is communicate with you and others in the media as well as directly to the voters to get people to really understand what’s at stake and what’s going on.”===
Rauner says it all here.
It’s never been about communicating with the GA or Democrats. It’s always been about the controlled message to the media and campaign tours.
Understanding this quote, Rauner has learned nothing.
Period.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jul 7, 16 @ 10:09 am
===Hasn’t he been on campaign for much of his term, going around the state and selling his TA in one way or another? What about that massive TA referendum campaign? The Rauner way is that when something doesn’t work, double down on it.===
Exactly! He thinks when people disagree with his ideas it’s because they don’t understand them well enough. He can’t fathom that he couldn’t actually be wrong and the people don’t want what he’s trying to sell.
Comment by Cubs in '16 Thursday, Jul 7, 16 @ 10:10 am
It is just like in a job interview when they ask, “What is your greatest weakness?”. So Rauner answered a similar question with the equivalent of, “Uh, nothing…”.
Comment by Fool On The Hill Thursday, Jul 7, 16 @ 10:11 am
‘could’ not couldn’t
Comment by Cubs in '16 Thursday, Jul 7, 16 @ 10:11 am
Guess that makes me above average. Not superstar-level, yet…but I’ll take it!
Comment by Consideration Thursday, Jul 7, 16 @ 10:11 am
OK so “Your average person in Illinois doesn’t really even know what worker’s comp is. The average person doesn’t know really what’s going on in the pension system. They know their taxes are too high, they know we’ve got a deficit. But getting that message out and helping the people of Illinois really understand what’s going on, that’s hard.”
You know what we do know? It took an ENTIRE year for the two bickering parties to come up with a measure for half of last year’s budget only because of an upcoming ELECTION. If there was no election this November, well know NOTHING would have been done.
Comment by Me, dumb voter Thursday, Jul 7, 16 @ 10:12 am
I think what he really is saying is; ” We should have yelled louder, so people could hear us”
Comment by Samuel Gompers Thursday, Jul 7, 16 @ 10:14 am
It’s not encouraging that his biggest regret is not playing the blame game sooner and more effectively. This does not portend well for his much promised grand bargain.
Comment by The Captain Thursday, Jul 7, 16 @ 10:15 am
- Your average person in Illinois doesn’t really even know what worker’s comp is. -
What an arrogant thing to say. Rauner must think that a silver spoon is necessary to nourish the brain, and that we commoners are lucky to have such a smart guy in the big chair.
Comment by Daniel Plainview Thursday, Jul 7, 16 @ 10:16 am
What T3 and others said.
All campaignin’ all the time, and nothing but.
Focus, purpose, and methods remain the same.
Hence, results are the same.
Not a hint of governin’. No recognition of damage. Just leverage.
Comment by Langhorne Thursday, Jul 7, 16 @ 10:16 am
The governor said a great deal about the difficulty of messaging, but even after all that, can anyone identify the substance of the governor’s message?
He listed some of the problems facing the state, and also he told us that those problems are too complex for the d̶u̶m̶-̶d̶u̶m̶s̶ average person in Illinois to understand. But he never actually says what his message to the average person in Illinois should have been — or what it will be going forward.
A cynic might suggest that the governor doesn’t offer a substantive message because he knows that the substance of his plan would be repellent to the people of Illinois. Fortunately, this governor hasn’t ever done anything to merit such cynicism.
– MrJM
Comment by @MisterJayEm Thursday, Jul 7, 16 @ 10:17 am
I feel another unconstitutional pension “reform” coming. Maybe part of the voter education project could be an explanation of what the pension clause means instead of what political leaders of both parties would like it to mean.
And maybe this would encourage more sustained attention on the part of the electorate to our
political masters’ spending priorities, most particularly, when they are handing out goodies like colas to themselves.
Comment by cassandra Thursday, Jul 7, 16 @ 10:19 am
The average person does understand what workers comp is. They fully understand its’ that system whereby your employer must compensate you for costs due to being injured on the job. They don’t know the specifics until they need it,and by then it’s too late to complaining.
I think he should have included the following his could’ve done better list:
Could’ve understood where the money goes better rather than just assume it is wasted - maybe not held valuable programs hostage. Could have discussed this with the media.
Could have explained that revenue is necessary because certain expenses exist and are legitimate.
Could’ve treated the opposite party and state workers with courtesy in the media rather than calling them corrupt and inept.
Comment by Thoughts Matter Thursday, Jul 7, 16 @ 10:20 am
Rich, the link in your story:
http://www.mortontimesnews.com/news/20160706/qampa-gov-bruce-rauner-talks-about-his-next-budget-steps/?Start=4
spits out a 404 error.
Comment by Bryan Thursday, Jul 7, 16 @ 10:20 am
Arrogance. Pure arrogance. I know what workers comp is — but it’s not on my radar. And it’s probably not on my radar because it’s not something *I* care about or others near me care about.
What *we* care about, Rauner, isn’t your wingnut snakeoil to funnel more money to the pockets of the 1% (who are — with few exceptions — no where near as smart as they think they are.)
We don’t care about because we have other, bigger, more important things to care about — things that *do* impact us: social services, higher education, and the middle class.
Yeah, I know — that’s all “liberal” talk. Well, yeah, it is — it is, Rauner because I don’t buy into your completely unsubstantiated, under-researched, and (yes) underreported “fixes” for the state. They won’t fix anything except make more money for your wine-drinking buddies.
They don’t exist in my world as anything worth “caring” about except when I read articles about wingnuts preaching this stuff as the panacea for all that ills. Your “fixes” will fix nothing. Your are there to get votes and get you richer.
I don’t have a billion dollars. I don’t make 5 million dollars a second. I’m not a self-proclaimed head of any party. I’m just a guy that cares deeply about everything you’ve spent 18 months breaking *on purpose*.
Comment by Formerly Known as Frenchie M Thursday, Jul 7, 16 @ 10:22 am
Maybe , “Squeezie the Pension Phython” could have helped with messaging. His pals the workers comp Guerrilla and a local controls (anti-union) Owl could help.
Comment by GOP Extremist Thursday, Jul 7, 16 @ 10:25 am
I am as regular a voter as Rauner is ever going to find. This morning, I scrubbed our bathroom after making a breakfast of whole wheat toast and poached eggs. Today was trash pickup day at the one home we own and live in. Like most people, we don’t have staff to do these things for us. It insults me that Rauner doesn’t understand why a lifelong Illinois resident like me wouldn’t care deeply enough about the issues to read about, listen to, and discuss them. I’ve rejected his messaging because of, not in spite of, my level of understanding.
Comment by Dome Gnome Thursday, Jul 7, 16 @ 10:30 am
From reading the comments here, I have to wonder if the majority of the commenters are dependent on the government for a paycheck or a pension. Rauner did not spend this state into a hole. Why blame him for takng a hard line with the ones who did and continue to overspend? Lower my property taxes, please!
Comment by Captain Obvious Thursday, Jul 7, 16 @ 10:36 am
===Lower my property taxes, please===
How about starting with your school board member?
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Jul 7, 16 @ 10:37 am
Team Rauner:
You can’t convince voters that state government can fix worker’s comp, lower pension costs, improve schools, or create jobs when you spend all of your time talking about how broken or corrupt state government is.
It just doesn’t work.
The problem isn’t that your message isn’t getting out.
The problem is the message.
Comment by Juvenal Thursday, Jul 7, 16 @ 10:45 am
=== The problem isn’t that your message isn’t getting out. ===
Let me rephrase: the problem isn’t that the voters are too stupid, either.
Comment by Juvenal Thursday, Jul 7, 16 @ 10:46 am
=can anyone identify the substance of the governor’s message=
The substance is that you must declare which side you’re on. You’re either for “reform” or the “status quo”. There is no other option and no compromise to be had which is why nothing should be expected to happen.
Comment by pundent Thursday, Jul 7, 16 @ 11:31 am
“Lower my property taxes, please!”
The money for the government services that we a citizens of Illinois expect must come from some place. So take your pick, lower property taxes with higher income and sales taxes.
I thoroughly understand the property tax issue. It is a big bill we get every year. We don’t feel the pinch of income or sales taxes as bad because it is a small and gradual payment that we never really see.
Comment by Huh? Thursday, Jul 7, 16 @ 11:36 am
Even below average governors in Illinois at least attempted to develop, define and communicate their message instead of staying on the cryptic, go to loop of reform nonsense. The hard part of it, governor, is in your head. Try on the “average” hat for size.
Comment by Vole Thursday, Jul 7, 16 @ 11:40 am
Oh, so you are concerned about communicating better, are you Governor? You can start by answering questions asked by the media, for starters. Even the tough ones.
And stop being so darned patronizing. Wow, you’re really concerned about all us average voters out here.
Comment by South Central Thursday, Jul 7, 16 @ 11:56 am
The governor thinks the “average” person is too dumb to understand politics in Illinois.Really??? How condescending to the citizens of our state. Does he really think that we need a political neophyte to give us a civics lesson??
Comment by Flynn's mom Thursday, Jul 7, 16 @ 12:45 pm
Rauner is not the first politician to say that voters don’t always keep up with the issues . Winston Churchill once said ” the best argument against democracy is a 5 minute conversation with the average voter”but he also said that “democracy is the worst form of government except for all the others”
Clearly most voters want services they don’t want to pay for. Many believe we can solve all the problems in our state by just asking the 1% to pay a little more. The average voter would have no idea about the costs of running a business in Illinois vs the other states in the Midwest
Comment by Lucky Pierre Thursday, Jul 7, 16 @ 1:01 pm
The governor has it backwards. His problem stems from the fact voters do understand what he is trying to do
Comment by truthteller Thursday, Jul 7, 16 @ 1:01 pm
Rauner is providing plenty of issues for the civics class requirement…
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-civics-required-for-graduation-met-20150907-story.html
Comment by Anon221 Thursday, Jul 7, 16 @ 1:18 pm
“Rauner is not the first politician to say that voters don’t always keep up with the issues.”
Most politicians who make such statements do so only after they’ve demonstrated a grasp of the issues.
Illinois anxiously awaits such a demonstration from Mr. Rauner.
– MrJM
Comment by @MisterJayEm Thursday, Jul 7, 16 @ 1:35 pm
We are doomed…..
Comment by burbanite Thursday, Jul 7, 16 @ 5:01 pm
Gee wiz controlling the message, what a novel Idea. That has been done for how long ? Since the word politics was first uttered. Get out of your partisan cocoons and go talk to real people they could care less about all the finger pointing they just want the state to do the work of the people. job. Average citizens with no stake in the Games Under the Dome
want to be pruod of Illinois but cant because of the way things are. Sad.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Jul 8, 16 @ 5:39 am