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Governor asked how he sleeps at night

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* Gov. Rauner was asked early this morning on NBC 5 about his vetoes of legislation to raise the pay of workers who care for people with developmental disabilities and a bill to expand child care assistance eligibility.

“I understand your position,” said Zoraida Sambolin about the governor’s oft stated desire to keep spending in line, “But at the end of the day when you go to bed at night, is it difficult for you to sleep knowing that you have to make these tough decisions?”

Check out his response…

Short answer: No.

The guy was given a meatball right over the plate to show some humanity.

* Some background on the pay hike bill…

At issue is legislation pushed by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees that would raise the minimum wage for so-called direct support personnel to $15 an hour. Those workers help the developmentally disabled with daily tasks ranging from cooking and cleaning to taking medication.

Providers say their average hourly wage is about $9.35, which they said has led to a severe staffing shortage that’s forced some group homes to close and leave many families without the help they need. Two days earlier, Rauner himself acknowledged the “documented critical and growing shortage of direct support professionals throughout the United States” in a proclamation declaring that a week in September would honor support workers.

Art Dykstra, CEO of Trinity Services, a nonprofit that provides care for people with disabilities, said the state’s “service system is crumbling.

“We are getting to the point where we will have to ask families to consider taking their loved ones home on weekends because we can’t adequately staff the houses,” he said in a statement. [Emphasis added.]

The proclamation the governor signed last week is here.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Aug 30, 16 @ 9:46 am

Comments

Simple solution. Stop working. Let the state perform the duties it is required to do and see how “inexpensive” it is. There are agencies performing work the state is obligated to perform for far less than they deserve. How many wrongful death, abuse, neglect and other cases (with the state in charge) will it take for the state to step up and fund the agencies that are currently underfunded?

Comment by Anon Tuesday, Aug 30, 16 @ 9:51 am
“Fiscal discipline is hard”

That explains is massively out of whack budget.

Comment by JS Mill Tuesday, Aug 30, 16 @ 9:53 am
Good.
It’s about time the Governor directly faced tough questions about the effects his personal agenda has had on real people.
Anytime he appears in public he needs to be directly challenged.

Comment by Bluegrass Boy Tuesday, Aug 30, 16 @ 9:53 am
is he still pushing that Turnaround Agenda as a cure for suffering Illinoisans?

Geez…..

Comment by Southern Dawg Tuesday, Aug 30, 16 @ 9:53 am
The governor may be frustrated but taking steps to reform Illinois is more important than people.

Rauner refuses to show an Ounce of sympathy. If anything, the RaunerS measure their sympathy by the millions they donate. Ask Rauner, he’ll tell you.

“I donate… millions”

… and sleeps well.

No tie, of course. Remember, Rauner only wears ties if Bruce Rauner respects you, and that usually has only included the wealthy and the cold and callous that cheer and applaud the squeezing of the beast.

As Diana Rauner says, “it’s a business decision”

So… Social Service providers, advocates (Less Diana Rauner?) and benefactors… did YOU see a governor that actually has an Ounce of empathy?

Vote Accordingly this November.

Don’t. Be. Fooled.

Do sleep… on Raunerites

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Aug 30, 16 @ 9:54 am
As I said last week, we know what veto is coming next based on what honorary day ( week or month) it is. I don’t see any compassion in his conservatism- just a money is only for the rich ( or business owner)mentality

Comment by Thoughts Matter Tuesday, Aug 30, 16 @ 9:55 am
When she says “people are suffering” and he responds with “we have been suffering in Illinois for a long time”, who is this “we” he speaks of?

Comment by Robert Montgomery Tuesday, Aug 30, 16 @ 9:55 am
Tone deaf much?

Comment by Gruntled University Employee Tuesday, Aug 30, 16 @ 9:56 am
The Illinois Republican Party: We Sleep Well at Night

Comment by Conn Smythe Tuesday, Aug 30, 16 @ 9:56 am
That proclamation (and 50¢) will buy you a cup of coffee.

Comment by Dome Gnome Tuesday, Aug 30, 16 @ 9:56 am
Not only was he given a meatball, but she let him skate without a real follow up question.

NBC 5 couldn’t bring Mary Ann Ahern in early to conduct the interview? More journalistic malpractice from Chicago broadcast media.

Man, it’s never been easier to be a press flack in Illinois. The kids in the Rauner media shop have no idea how lucky they are.

Comment by Jealous Former Media Flack Tuesday, Aug 30, 16 @ 10:02 am
The reason he can sleep well at night is because he’s not affected. Not his problem….can’t identify. We’re all just one step away from being affected however. This governor was born without an empathy gene.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Aug 30, 16 @ 10:02 am
—
… , who is this “we” he speaks of?
—

The people that voted for him. The people that didn’t vote for him — or won’t — don’t count in Rauner’s world.

Nevermind that those same folks are, actually, citizens of Illinois. Although I suspect this would surprise, Rauner.

Comment by Bobby Catalpa Tuesday, Aug 30, 16 @ 10:03 am
It’s just a matter of time before someone suffers permanent damages from Rauner’s and the neglect of the requirements of the State’s duties.

Then will come the lawsuits, settlements followed by Rauner’s demands for tort reform.

Comment by Chicago 20 Tuesday, Aug 30, 16 @ 10:04 am
I have to disagree with Brucie on this one, we haven’t been suffering in Illinois. We have been spending more than we are willing to tax ourselves but suffering, not so much. The day of reckoning is upon us, Smart Tax Increases, Smart Budget Cuts and Smart Reductions in Inefficiencies are the only way out of this mess. And by “Smart” I mean the things that will benefit all of us not just one privileged segment of the population.

Comment by Gruntled University Employee Tuesday, Aug 30, 16 @ 10:05 am
Ahhh, the Ron Sandack “how do you sleep at night” question.

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Tuesday, Aug 30, 16 @ 10:05 am
If we pay people to care for the elderly then Rauners tax rate will go up slightly. i would not Rauner has spent far more on elections to fight his tax increase then he would have paid; and instead of money going to help the elderly and education for kids he spends it on ad campaings and fake newspapers…. but he has no moral problem with that…. he nedms down whispers let them eat cake Mr smithers and falls right to sleep

Comment by Ghost Tuesday, Aug 30, 16 @ 10:08 am
Sleep at Night
H* the guy is dozin’ most of the day
Staff strolls in and sez “hey BigBrain veto this one it helps the SEIU add more members.”
Bang. Done.
Let’s remember last week he wandered into an alternative school talked about fundin’ and THEN learned he had been F* them for 2 years.
He is doin’ same thing on mental health
There is zero connect between what is happenin’ and his actions.

Comment by Annonin' Tuesday, Aug 30, 16 @ 10:14 am
When you get right down to it, with this administration, everything, whether it be assistance to the disabled or the elderly or anything else, is secondary to establishing cheap labor in this state. That’s exactly what’s in play here. Give me my cheap labor and I’ll give our most vulnerable people a little help.

Comment by The Dude Abides Tuesday, Aug 30, 16 @ 10:21 am
The only way for him to be more out of touch is by having Bubbles the Chimpanzee in his lap while answering the question.

Comment by Jocko Tuesday, Aug 30, 16 @ 10:23 am
Rauner talks about fiscal irresponsibility but continuously refuses to admit that he and other wealthy Illinoisans have been part of the problem for decades. They have been paying very low state income taxes for many, many years–much lower than some states in our neighborhood.

Rauner sleeps very well at night, I’m sure. I bet he’s never known or barely known personal financial hardship. What does he know about the struggles of many people who either can’t get ahead financially or barely keep their heads above water?

We can talk until we turn blue about our state’s fiscal problems, but in my opinion, if we don’t seriously try to implement policy that makes the wealthiest pay more than everyone else, any fiscal recovery plan would be worse and less ethical.

Comment by Grandson of Man Tuesday, Aug 30, 16 @ 10:29 am
Now, if we can get the same question put to the head of the Ounce . . . .

Comment by Keyrock Tuesday, Aug 30, 16 @ 10:31 am
How can anyone that spends millions upon millions of their own money supporting candidates of either side talk about fiscal responsibility? That’s just silly.

Comment by Delimma Tuesday, Aug 30, 16 @ 10:33 am
- @Jealous Former Media Flack 10:02 == More journalistic malpractice from Chicago broadcast media.==

They are looking forward to all the $$$$$ that they will make on upcoming political ads. They are not going to bite the hand that feeds them all that money.

Comment by DuPage Tuesday, Aug 30, 16 @ 10:36 am
“Fiscal discipline is hard”

From a guy who owns nine million dollar houses, including a Manhattan penthouse and huge ranches out west. I guess he had a hard time disciplining himself to limit it to nine.

Comment by Joe M Tuesday, Aug 30, 16 @ 10:38 am
I’ve deleted several over the top comments so far. Kinda sick of it. Banishments will begin.

Tone it down or you’ll be kicked out.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Aug 30, 16 @ 10:40 am
Not a surprise. He is who he is. His record speaks for itself.

Comment by Jorge Tuesday, Aug 30, 16 @ 10:44 am
Fair question for all Illinois politicians- how can you sleep at night? Love to hear some fearless reporter ask this to all the principals

Comment by Lucky Pierre Tuesday, Aug 30, 16 @ 10:47 am
“How do you sleep at night?”
“On my right side, of course”

Rimshot

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Aug 30, 16 @ 10:50 am
Rauner has shown great consistency since he was elected in this one area: absolutely no empathy for anyone. It seems to be a requirement for those that make millions in his former line of work. However, it is terrible in a Governor.

Comment by kimocat Tuesday, Aug 30, 16 @ 10:59 am
I’m not sure he should be signing off on anything
requiring an increase in state funding at this point, out of context, so to speak.

The context is the state’s overall budget shortfall which will eventually have to be resolved. There are many, many petitioners for cash from any extra income which would accrue from a tax increase. Since neither party seems inclined to cut anything, are we assuming that all petitioners (k-12, college funding, human services, pension funding, contractual increases for the state bureaucracy, others) will get what they ask for. How much will that cost us. And if not, who gets less. How much less.

Until the overall budget is finalized, is it responsible to pick some winners when we don’t know who the losers might be?

Comment by Cassandra Tuesday, Aug 30, 16 @ 11:03 am
How do you sleep at night? Well, I guess the follow up question should be how much did your mattress cost? How much were those sheets? Are you sleeping on a bed that literally costs more than some people make in a single year?

Comment by Delimma Tuesday, Aug 30, 16 @ 11:03 am
How do any of these clowns sleep at night? It is because they all think they are absolutely right and the other side is absolutely wrong.

Comment by Not It Tuesday, Aug 30, 16 @ 11:10 am
Unless you are in his club, the little people are just bothersome ones who eat up so much of the money in this state. He sleeps very very well in his comfortable bed.
No surprise that there are very wealthy people who live comfortable lives, and there are not. The human condition. But the willful destruction of programs to help those in need has put the wealth disparity in very very sharp focus. And an intelligent person would be totally in line to ask why those who have so much would deliberately destroy those in need. That’just a logical question.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Aug 30, 16 @ 11:21 am
Rauner’s not especially good at wingin’ it. He’s not used to audiences who are not automatically agreeing with him.

Rauner communications staff should spend some time with him practicing how to answer the most likely 5 or 6 challenging reporters’ questions in an authentic (for him) way.

Comment by walker Tuesday, Aug 30, 16 @ 11:35 am
Follow up question Governor Rauner. If we’ve all been suffering due to this history of spending more than we have, why did you not veto millions in additional spending for this year’s education budget when there is no way to pay for it?

Comment by Johnnie F. Tuesday, Aug 30, 16 @ 11:37 am
@Walker: Instead of prepping him to better spin tough questions, maybe he ought to take the arrow, like he said he was willing to do, and answer truthfully with respect to the people that his policy choices are destroying. Just sayin…

Comment by PublicServant Tuesday, Aug 30, 16 @ 11:49 am
Capt Fax
Here is 3:20 of a 9+ minute gush between BigBrain and Steve Cochran where he repeats the untrue claim aka lie about fully funding education that was exposed Friday in Cdale and a hint he is not involved in those itcky campaigns
http://wgnradio.com/2016/08/30/gov-bruce-rauner-we-need-reform/

Comment by Annonin' Tuesday, Aug 30, 16 @ 12:10 pm
I think the Governor would take equal barbs if he said he wasn’t sleeping well. There would be outcry shouting, “well then do something about it! It’s your own fault.” I am sure he sees the current pain as staving off a far worse calamity. And I tend to think he is right. I may not agree with everything, but I do recognize that on too many levels, the ship needs a major change of direction to make Illinois both stable and competitive again and the status quo wasn’t going to get us there.

Besides, I am guessing Madigan et al are sleeping just as well, even knowing decades of fiscal incompetence has created this mess.

Comment by Shemp Tuesday, Aug 30, 16 @ 12:21 pm
“But at the end of the day when you go to bed at night, is it difficult for you to sleep knowing that you have to make these tough decisions?”

1.4% - Well first of all, the decisions I make are not that tough when measured against my agenda. The decisions really make themselves - do they fit the framework of my agenda? If no, it is really an easy decision. So I sleep very well because I don’t have to think about the decisions that I made during the day. Probably the toughest decision I make all day is pairing the wines for dinner. I have a really big wine cellar with such a wide variety, that matching the best wine for each dinner course is hard.

Comment by Huh? Tuesday, Aug 30, 16 @ 12:38 pm
Cassandra, I think you are right. Funding programs piecemeal instead of a total budget plan will only make it harder to solve in the long run. But the problem with that approach is that everyone is loathe to put that comprehensive plan down, not wanting to be the messenger blamed

Comment by Steve Schnorf Tuesday, Aug 30, 16 @ 1:08 pm
Jay Sherman: How do you sleep at night?
Rainer Wolfcastle: On top of a pile of money with many beautiful ladies.
Jay Sherman: Just asking. Yeesh!

– MrJM

Comment by @MisterJayEm Tuesday, Aug 30, 16 @ 2:14 pm
–Fear of gods or law of man there was none to restrain them.–

Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War

I have been thinking on this quote as of late and upon the courses in Political Realism I took at the University of Chicago under the late Dr. Jean Bethke Elschtain. She attributed Athens plunge into “the strong will do as they will and the weak will suffer what they must” to this actual sentence of Thucydides. Not that the sentence caused it but that the meaning behind it had gripped Athens recovering from the helplessness and hopelessness of the plague (Typhus). Not that we have had a plague but that the result of our long march of neoliberal capitalism has been the same, we fear neither the God’s nor the laws of man. Ethics and morals derived from a variety of sources are almost pretty little things indulged in at ones leisure. Laws can be changed or molded over time so no worries there. Think for a second

Care of the poor, sick and elderly. meh
meager measures at best just to get them out of sight and mind.

Education for all and higher education meh
what does it matter now if you can’t get a job that pays enough to live.

Good jobs and economic stability what’s that?
The good jobs are being held onto by the Boomers who can’t retire.

So why fear the Gods or Laws of man?

It’s how we get to the

“Strong will do as they will and the weak will suffer what they must”

Queue the “angry violent music of your choice”

Comment by Honeybear Tuesday, Aug 30, 16 @ 2:15 pm
Self-righteous answer: No

Comment by Enviro Tuesday, Aug 30, 16 @ 2:20 pm
The roadmap is there. Whack the unions, especially teachers and state employees, and there can be a tax increase to pay for better social services. In my POV the Dems have shafted the social services just as much as Rauner to protect the unions. These bills have turned out to be nothing more than campaign fodder.
Someone has to come with an overall budget plan and agree on how much revenue is needed. That shouldn’t be hard, the hard part is agreeing on the terms of the increased revenue.

Comment by LTSW Tuesday, Aug 30, 16 @ 5:01 pm
What’s the current exchange rate at the grocery store and the utilities department on those proclamations?

Comment by Harvest76 Tuesday, Aug 30, 16 @ 5:04 pm
Honey. With all due respect. That kinda thinken is hard to digest when sober. Lol.

Comment by blue dog dem Tuesday, Aug 30, 16 @ 5:06 pm
Go ahead and have a couple then. I’ll buy.

Comment by Honeybear Tuesday, Aug 30, 16 @ 9:06 pm
Too bad Athena downfall is almost entirely attributed to promising benefits to the masses that were not sustainable. Maybe we should learn from history.

Comment by Ron Tuesday, Aug 30, 16 @ 9:15 pm
Gotcha Honey!

Comment by blue dog dem Tuesday, Aug 30, 16 @ 9:21 pm
I can only assume Madigan, Edgar and Daley are being asked this same question by reporters too, amiright?

Comment by Ron Tuesday, Aug 30, 16 @ 9:35 pm