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* The race between appointed Rep. Andy Skoog (D-LaSalle) and Republican Jerry Long ain’t getting any less ugly. After sending a mailer blasting Long for renting a house to a registered sex offender, the Democrats have hit him with a new piece…
Dems continue to attack Long over sex offenders. Its latest mailer features a mat reading, "Welcome predators."
— David Giuliani (@tt_dgiuliani) September 6, 2016
Madigan-led Dems: "Jerry Long's dangerous agenda will make child predators feel at home in our neighborhoods."
— David Giuliani (@tt_dgiuliani) September 6, 2016
Mailer includes untrue allegation Jerry Long opposed money for sex offender tracking. The money was part of much larger budget Long opposed
— David Giuliani (@tt_dgiuliani) September 6, 2016
That’s always the danger with opposing a state budget. Lots of programs in there that people like. But, is it fair?
* The Question: Is an attack like this fair game? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Sep 6, 16 @ 2:43 pm
Sorry, comments are closed at this time.
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“But, is it fair?”
No. It’s despicable.
– MrJM
Comment by @MisterJayEm Tuesday, Sep 6, 16 @ 2:45 pm
The unfortunate reality is that both parties play fast and loose with the truth. The GOP is no stranger to distorting the truth when it serves their campaign purpose.
Comment by anon Tuesday, Sep 6, 16 @ 2:48 pm
I think that these types of ads are so over the top that their impact is pretty minimal.
Comment by Anonymouth Tuesday, Sep 6, 16 @ 2:49 pm
Answer the question, please.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Sep 6, 16 @ 2:50 pm
Would I send that out? No
Is it fair? yes
The republicans and democrats have used these attacks for years against each other. Guilt by association. You oppose the budget then you oppose what is in it. If you take hundreds of thousands of dollars from a party or an individual then you take the heat for how that persona acts. Because Madigan … Because Rauner.
Comment by Spliff Tuesday, Sep 6, 16 @ 2:50 pm
It is fair.
When a candidate or an incumbent has a record, it will get exposed. Long opposed the budget so it is on him to carry that baggage and explain why he opposed it.
Comment by Mongo Tuesday, Sep 6, 16 @ 2:52 pm
No.
Though I would be shocked if anyone is actually reading the mailers at this point. This does nothing but distract from real issues and helps turn more and more people off to the idea of even trying to pay attention.
Comment by m Tuesday, Sep 6, 16 @ 2:52 pm
It’s despicable and unfair … which is why Madigan’s using it.
Skoog should be embarrassed.
Comment by Deft Wing Tuesday, Sep 6, 16 @ 2:58 pm
Yup. It’s awfully easy to say you’ll vote against Mike Madigan’s unbalanced budget and pretend the whole thing is waste, but you’re actually voting on real services and real people.
Comment by One hand //ing Tuesday, Sep 6, 16 @ 3:00 pm
It is not fair to take any given vote out of context. It is a deliver attempt to mislead.
Such standards of fairness seem never to have been much valued in American democracy.
The question remains: Is it so over the top as to backfire? I’m guessing not.
Comment by walker Tuesday, Sep 6, 16 @ 3:00 pm
===That’s always the danger with opposing a state budget. Lots of programs in there that people like.===
That’s why being called on what you are for or against (in this case, the budget) is fair. Blanket statements like “well, I oppose the budget”… that gets candidates in trouble.
It’s fair.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Sep 6, 16 @ 3:03 pm
The Republicans have commites themselves to destroy my way of life, take my pension, slash my wages, takenrights away from my wife and daughter. Yes its fair and I have no problem that I am sending even more inflammatory mailera to the children, parents and any friends I can find of these republicans. Many aren’t even in the state and I am sending them to them anyway. I want to make these people and their families feel how miserable their policies are. I want to make it so personally painful these people won’t ever show their faves in public again. I don’t want to merely beat them. I want everyone around them crushed and the rule book is thrown right out the window on this.
Total war.
Comment by Wetwork Specialist Tuesday, Sep 6, 16 @ 3:03 pm
Yes.
It is fair because it recognizes that a budget is about priorities and choices.
It is fair because it recognizes that there are many programs, essential to the public welfare, that require a budget, not political games driven by a frothing hatred of working-class families.
Comment by Precinct Captain Tuesday, Sep 6, 16 @ 3:07 pm
No it’s not fair.
Yes it will continue in races like this.
Sometimes, sometimes, you get penalized for being so blatantly unfair. Hard to imagine anyone would really believe that someone is “for” predators.
If Skoog gets a high hard one under the chin coming back at him, he’ll know who to blame.
Comment by A guy Tuesday, Sep 6, 16 @ 3:07 pm
No, but unavoidable
Comment by steve schnorf Tuesday, Sep 6, 16 @ 3:08 pm
It’s fair considering today’s anything goes political standards. I don’t like it and wish it would change, but we don’t have the leadership to make that happen.
Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Sep 6, 16 @ 3:09 pm
“Am I opposed to the budget? What I’m opposed to is the politics surrounding the ‘yes or no’, one or the other deciding on liking or not liking a budget. There’s programs constituents like and want, there’s programs and spending constituents don’t like or want, and like both sides, there’s things I like and don’t like.
When we’re talking about spending $30 plus billion here in Illinois, let’s not simplify like or don’t like, making all spending equal to everything else in one swoop.”
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Sep 6, 16 @ 3:16 pm
It’s fair, probably shouldn’t be, but a return volley just as slimy is now also fair.
Comment by Ron Burgundy Tuesday, Sep 6, 16 @ 3:17 pm
Not really fair, but like Rauner said when asked about his attack ads during budget negotiations “it’s all part of the process”.
Comment by DuPage Tuesday, Sep 6, 16 @ 3:19 pm
Of course it’s not “fair”, but politics ain’t “fair”…If you want fair, go to Springfield in early August! Otherwise, put on your boots, hold your nose, and slog ahead (which is sort of like the State Fair).
Comment by d.p.gumby Tuesday, Sep 6, 16 @ 3:21 pm
Is it fair? No. But then Conservatives (not Republicans) have spent years dividing the country.
Liberal media? Mainstream media? Lifestyle choice? Welfare queen? Voter fraud?
Pick your poison.
Comment by Doug Simpson Tuesday, Sep 6, 16 @ 3:41 pm
It’s fair. If you are against the budget, you’re against the things in the budget. Particularly this year.
Comment by Century Club Tuesday, Sep 6, 16 @ 3:44 pm
this is not the only district where this exact mailer is up. time to make a list on this site of where the mailer is being used. that it is an attack, and a nasty one, in more than one place shows the true intent.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Sep 6, 16 @ 3:46 pm
Fair in the sense that advancing Rauner’s agenda has supplanted the funding of government services. When you “starve the beast” you starve all forms of it not just the parts and pieces you dislike.
Comment by pundent Tuesday, Sep 6, 16 @ 3:53 pm
Its not fair unless someone actually said that, not just because they happen to oppose certain legislation because they believe, e.g., there is not adequate funding. If it said something like, “voted against a proposed budget that included sex offender tracking”, that would be accurate and fair.
Comment by Just Sayin' Tuesday, Sep 6, 16 @ 3:55 pm
Heck yes it is fair.
People want to oppose budgets and then be off the hook when the State fails to provide services.
Budgets have consequences. Failing to support the budget would mean that certain things could not be done.
I would like to see more of this type of argument. The “no” votes, with no alternative budget presented, were bad policy. Voters should hear about it.
Comment by Gooner Tuesday, Sep 6, 16 @ 3:56 pm
Long was in trouble when opponents learned he had blown his due diligence and rented to a registered sex offender.
He had the right to refuse to rent, his background check was inadequate.
He could have countered the budget vote attack by voting for a budget that had good things in it. But there was no alternative budget submitted.
These errors are on him.
Comment by Last Bull Moose Tuesday, Sep 6, 16 @ 3:59 pm
==Blanket statements like “well, I oppose the budget”… that gets candidates in trouble.==
Isn’t a vote a blanket statement? Politics requires several things to be attached to one budget. Eventually, a choice must be made whether a bill becomes law.
That there isn’t a budget that funds (your pet issue) is a fair attack. Attacking someone for voting against one bill, a mix of billions of dollars and hundreds of priorities, on the basis of one issue is unfair.
Comment by Timmeh Tuesday, Sep 6, 16 @ 4:01 pm
- Timmeh -
Keep in mind, Long wasn’t, and isn’t, a member of the General Assembly…
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Sep 6, 16 @ 4:09 pm
OW- All the more reason for it not to mean anything. Candidates should be asked about current bills, simply to get a better idea of where they may stand in a real scenario. But the same principle applies as I stated before, being for or against one budget isn’t the same as being for or against one issue.
Comment by Timmeh Tuesday, Sep 6, 16 @ 4:17 pm
When has anyone ever cared about fairness in Illinois politics?
Comment by Not It Tuesday, Sep 6, 16 @ 4:18 pm
Beyond fair
He said he checked the pervert
He said he opposed budget
Comment by Annonin' Tuesday, Sep 6, 16 @ 4:24 pm
- Timmeh -
Candidates use broad brushes to support or oppose merge things, like overall budgets, they walk into this.
No one is stopping a long-winded answer, or even requiring candidates to blanket statement things.
Not the way campaigns should be run, especially when we all crave substance, but the climate right now has both sides blanket statement things.
Tough business right now…
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Sep 6, 16 @ 4:26 pm
Ask John Kerry if it’s fair. I doubt Long was ever for a budget (with an amendment attached) before being against it. When you have to explain your vote - you’re losing.
Comment by Triple fat Tuesday, Sep 6, 16 @ 4:36 pm
It is fair. Long is one of the “Hang in there Governor, Damn the consequences!” crowd. This is a consequence he damned.
Comment by Wondering Tuesday, Sep 6, 16 @ 4:37 pm
Some of it probably, but I believe making false allegations that someone supports/opposes something based upon their stance on a completely separate issue or something that is only .0000000001% of an issue (position on a budget vs specific line items in budget) is just plain lying and while expected in politics, I do not support it nor do I think it is fair.
Stating that he rents property to sex offenders is fair, because he does.
Comment by Ahoy! Tuesday, Sep 6, 16 @ 4:38 pm
So… Of course it’s fair!
Comment by Triple fat Tuesday, Sep 6, 16 @ 4:38 pm
whoever said politics is fair
Comment by flea Tuesday, Sep 6, 16 @ 5:14 pm
I believe this is slanderous and libelous…
So, the answer is that it is not fair, and actionable legally.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Sep 6, 16 @ 5:27 pm
I agree with 5:14 pm.
Comment by Enviro Tuesday, Sep 6, 16 @ 5:41 pm
Yes it’s fair. The deviants have to live somewhere, but it takes a real superstar to run for office while renting to one.
Comment by PENSIONS ARE OFF LIMITS Tuesday, Sep 6, 16 @ 5:56 pm
Not fair to attack for having rented a house to a registered sex-offender. I’d rather belong to a Democratic party that can imagine compassion for some of the most despised members of society. Where would this Democratic candidate like to see registered sex-offenders living?
Comment by Yooper in Diaspora Tuesday, Sep 6, 16 @ 9:55 pm
It is fair. Maybe Long should have kept his mouth shut about the budget and just called Skoog a pawn.
Comment by DuPage Bard Tuesday, Sep 6, 16 @ 10:25 pm
Yes, quite fair.
Remember the words, or the sentiment perhaps, of Lyndon Johnson, “Make the (jerks) deny it”
Comment by PrairieFire Friday, Sep 9, 16 @ 11:46 am