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ILGOP adds three more HDems to hit list

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Illinois

Three More Added To BossMadigan.com
- Time for Dan Beiser, Stephanie Kifowit, and Katie Stuart to Prove Their Independence -

The Illinois Republican Party this morning made three new additions to BossMadigan.com. Rep. Dan Beiser, Rep. Stephanie Kifowit and newly elected Katie Stuart are now highlighted on the website.

“Mike Madigan is blocking votes on term limits and a property tax freeze in order to force an income tax hike with no reforms on the people of Illinois after the New Year,” said Illinois Republican Party spokesman Steven Yaffe. “If Dan Beiser, Stephanie Kifowit and Katie Stuart are at all serious about improving Illinois, they should oppose Mike Madigan as Speaker until he allows votes on these popular, bi-partisan reforms.”

Dan Beiser
Dan Beiser’s backed Mike Madigan for Speaker six times and received over $700,000 from Madigan’s campaign funds this year. Beiser was Madigan’s sidekick in supporting Rod Blagojevich’s pension scheme that added up to $22 billion in new debt to the pension system. More recently, Beiser backed Madigan’s $8 billion unfunded budget that aimed to force a massive tax hike on Illinois families without reforms. Perhaps worst of all, Beiser voted to make sure he gets paid a taxpayer-funded salary even if a budget isn’t passed.

Katie Stuart
Mike Madigan spent nearly $1 million this year helping elect Katie Stuart. Already, Stuart’s backed Madigan’s plan to take $10 million from Metro East schools to help bail out Chicago Public Schools. Soon, she’ll face her first real test when it comes time to vote for Mike Madigan as Speaker, and she’s already signaling that she will put Madigan ahead of the people.

The News-Gazette reports:

“Stuart is already playing a deceitful games with the voters. Asked if she intended to vote to re-elect House Speaker Michael Madigan, Stuart pretended to be flummoxed by the question.
‘I don’t know what the options will be,’ Stuart said. ‘You’re asking me a hypothetical question just like I wouldn’t tell you how I would vote on any piece of legislation until I actually read the legislation.’
She asserts that a Madigan bid for the speakership, a position he has held for much of his 40-plus year tenure, is purely ‘hypothetical’?
That’s not even close to being credible. If there’s anything that’s a certainty, it’s that Madigan already has, is now or will be asking members of his Democratic caucus to support his bid for another two-year term as their boss.”

Stephanie Kifowit
Stephanie Kifowit likes to act independent of Mike Madigan, but the truth is she’s taken over half a million dollars from him and twice voted to make him Speaker. Last year, she supported Madigan’s plan to double the income tax on many families without any reforms while making sure she gets paid no matter what. Stephanie Kifowit needs to walk the walk and oppose Madigan as Speaker to help deliver real reforms for the people of Illinois.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 8:23 am

Comments

Targeting Katie Stuart before she’s even sworn in is why people are jaded with the political process.

Comment by Highland IL Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 8:27 am
Is BossRauner.com going to tell voters which Raunerites voted to raise income taxes above the 5% level that was paying down our bills?

Comment by illini97 Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 8:27 am
Always campaigning, never governing.

Comment by illinoised Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 8:30 am
Fun fact. bossmadigan.com was registered on Sunday. bossrauner.com was just registered yesterday. Which side bought it?

Comment by illini97 Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 8:31 am
I’m pretty sure the rank and file GOP members pray every day the GOP never takes control of either chamber because doing so would force the GOP do something other than campaign.

Comment by Give Me A Break Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 8:33 am
- Highland IL - is exactly right. Why is a paper in Champaign attacking someone who has yet to be sworn in or cast a single vote in the legislature.

don’t the House Republicans need to be busy working on the structured vote for the lame duck #RaunerTax?

Comment by illini97 Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 8:34 am
How many personal checks has Madigan written to any candidates?

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 8:34 am
Leader Radogno would just say the Speaker needs to “grow up.” But, there is no longer any difference between government and political campaigns. Democrats breaking from the Speaker and instead choosing a Rauner-approved Speaker would be slitting their own throats and almost all of them are smart enough to know it.

An extraordinary amount of money was spent to make the Speaker the issue. There’s no genuine evidence that it worked. All 5 House and Senate Dems in contested campaigns who lost were in rural areas that went strongly for Trump. Katie Stuart was in a suburban area and won despite the anti-Madigan messaging.

Comment by Moe Berg Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 8:34 am
Note to self - start buying domain names BOSS(ANY_LEGISLATIVE_LEADER_NAME).com ASAP

Comment by Highland Il Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 8:35 am
Kifowit won with 62%
Stuart won with 58%
Beiser won with 53%

Stuart hasn’t sworn in yet, but hey, keep targeting.

#FireMadiganV3.0

Comment by Dee Lay Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 8:35 am
Rauner just wants to blow up this state(?)

The only way you have a governor cryin’ and whinin’ about gettin’ his Agenda passed and refuses to get 60 and 30… AND… then continually targets members in that pool he needs 60, in this case, has to be that there is zero desire to govern.

Then again, that 2012 quote… this plays completely into that quote. “How?” Rauner also “wins” without a budget, as long as The Ounce and Diana are safe, EIU and CSU closing and refusing to pay on signed contracts with social services… This targeting keeps the destruction “left-handedly” going.

So, to “recap”…

Rauner gets a budget, but gets to destroy local collective bargaining and prevailing wage with “Property Tax Reform” and term limits… because no budget is passing now with out hostages… Rauner wins…

Rauner continues to purposely poison the 60/30 need to continue the “feature not the bug” of the 2012 dividing of Drnocrats, while pretending the Rauner Tax is a give… Rauner wins…

“In the end”, it’s never been about Rauner wanting to govern, it’s been about what needs to break, what will break, what can be “broken”… then… the “betterment of the state or whatever”

Now that the Rauner Tax will have 6 more Raunerite votes come January (No Tax Increases during lame duck!) Rauner will have to add more to these targeted lists to ensure he can’t get 60 and 30… even on accident.

If Democrats don’t hang together, they most assuredly will be singled out on “BossMadigan.Com”

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 8:36 am
And it will continue. This is but the beginning.

The election of not quite one month back settled nothing.

Total war continues without any pause.

Comment by Deft Wing Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 8:37 am
Beiser is going to have a tough road to hoe if Mike Babcock runs again. Babcock is a hard enough worker - and he sticks to a program - so I think that is a prime HRO pick up in 2018.

Dee Lay - your numbers on the Kay-Stuart race are off. Ms. Stuart won with 51.6% of the vote.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 8:43 am
https://youtu.be/Re9O7kDtt6c

This is where we are.

Comment by Nothin's easy... Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 8:46 am
This is so not helping anything whatsoever.

Comment by stlboy Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 8:48 am
Representative government at it’s finest!

Comment by spidad60 Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 8:48 am
illini97- Maybe Rauner did Love that large b/w visage of him and the kissing ponies ties! Surprised it wasn’t horseheads!

Comment by Anon221 Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 8:50 am
-ow
Let me know when Madigan has 71 or 60 and a Gov signature for his counter plan.

Comment by m Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 8:51 am
Madigan does this by running the no lame duck tax resolution (or how many votes on the same prop tax bill that he didn’t want anyone to vote for). He plays his political games on state time with state resources.

R’s have to use private money.

I’d rather these games get played without my money.

Comment by m Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 8:54 am
===”…in order to force an income tax hike with no reforms on the people of Illinois after the New Year.”===

LOL!

Oh Mr. Yaffe… You may want to talk to Rep. McSweeney, a Republican, not a Raunerite, about “why” this “may” have to wait for the 100th GA.

Remember, Yaffe…

When others trade off your credibility, you lose.

You have become the “ck” - “Madeupville” proxy on the State Party side… so your personal credibility is just collateral damage to others.

I’m not disappointed in you, I feel terrible for you.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 8:54 am
=Stuart is already playing a deceitful games with the voters. Asked if she intended to vote to re-elect House Speaker Michael Madigan, Stuart pretended to be flummoxed by the question.=

Apparently only our governor can play a “deceitful game” when asked about his upcoming votes for certain candidates.

Comment by MSIX Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 8:54 am
Oh - m -,… lol

Where is “Reforms” found in any budgeting glossary or in any measure of accounting or budgeting.

Rauner wants utter destruction, or Democrats to vote, “in no particular order” to decimate labor with collective bargaining and prevailing wage, term limits which have zero measurable accounting in a budget ever, and carry the Rauner Tax…

Rauner, like you, say there are Demicrats willing to do this.

Very well, get them on those stairs and show everyone, show that 60 and 30.

Oh, and that ridiculousness you think is remotely clever… “Where is Madigan’s”… how many vetoes were ever overridden?

Rauner, and you, can’t deny vetoes. Only a governor can veto, so what is your argument, again.

If your inherently ridiculous argument is STILL “Where’s Madigan’s”… Ken Dunkin is what Bruce Rauner is ALL about.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 9:01 am
===R’s have to use private money.===

From THREE families, and Diana Rauner, the Democrat helping to pay for a plan that includes the destruction of Social Services… less The Ounce, of course…

…and you’re proud of that? Speaks volumes about you.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 9:05 am
Happy no budget New Year.

Comment by A Jack Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 9:07 am
So, one of the political parties is attempting to….wait for it….win. A shocking development. The Republican party seems more aggressive in the past several years, apparently choosing to compete to win rather than being content to be a happy minority. A famous Democrat once said that politics ain’t beanbag. He was right. Dems have many advantages in Illinois, whining shouldn’t be needed to win.

Rauner made Madigan the target in the recent election, with measurable success. Not really a shock he’d continue that program. The Dems need to find a counter that works - one that works with the typical parson, not the people who post on message boards (who are in hardened positions to a large degree).

Also, the discomfort among partisan democrats regarding Rauner’s painting of Madigan as the bad guy suggests that it is working.

Comment by Anony Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 9:09 am
Popular opinion controls an unpopular govenor. They just can’t stop themselves from voter suppression

Comment by Rabid Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 9:18 am
Definition of voter suppression - when the other side’s positions are effective in decreasing the votes for my side.

Comment by Anony Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 9:21 am
Please, Please, no naked pictures of Beiser.

Comment by agreed? Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 9:22 am
All this talk of party independence, yet only a handful of Rs (maybe only 1) not following the Rauner party line. Pot, meet kettle.

Comment by Fixer Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 9:25 am
Oh how the Vichy Republicans strut, with their newfound cash cow!

Comment by Stumpy's bunker Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 9:28 am
Why is Jim Dey and the News-Gazette more worried about what a Metro East rep does in a symbolic Madigan-Rauner proxy fight than what is actually happening to affect the pocketbooks of their readers in the Champaign area with the uncertainty over the future of two huge employers in East Central Illinois with no budgets for UIUC or EIU?

Comment by hisgirlfriday Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 9:37 am
Fixer - should be simple then for the Dems to tie individual members to Rauner. Will they do so?

Comment by Anony Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 9:39 am
–”Oh how the Vichy Republicans strut, with their newfound cash cow!”–

Not unlike the Dems prior thereto for several … decades (!), courtesy of Mike Madigan and his cash/horde of union door-knockers. And what did the ruling Dems do while they strutted about the Capitol? Well, just look at the State’s financials, unfunded pensions, and economy. The damage is unmistakable and the blame properly apportioned … to Madigan and HIS Dems!

The challenger to the Madigan’s status quo debacle and for the future of Illinois brought his own money to the fight.

So, the continuing war and non-stop campaign for all of the marbles in 2018 is on … and on.

Comment by Deft Wing Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 9:47 am
==Let me know when Madigan has 71 or 60 and a Gov signature for his counter plan.==

This rather entirely misunderstands the dynamics of the situation. Rauner needs a budget more than he needs his Turnaround Agenda, more than Madigan needs an “alternative agenda”, more than Madigan needs a budget.

Some of you guys don’t seem to understand just how politically toxic 4 years without a budget would be.

Comment by Arsenal Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 9:49 am
===The challenger to the Madigan’s status quo debacle and for the future of Illinois brought his own money to the fight.===

… to close Eastern, Chicago State, close Social Service agencies, that Rauner Staus Quo… has that all workin’ out.

(Face Palm)

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 9:53 am
I was a little surprised as Dwight Kay’s defeat. Can anyone offer insight on what was his challenge in holding that seat. What the district just too Democrat, ton of money, or something else?

Thanks.

Comment by Downstate Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 9:54 am
Vichy Republicans. Oh living God that’s good. I thought I was good calling the anti Union LEAD unit Stasi was good. Man I love that

Comment by Honeybear Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 9:57 am
-ow
So you recommend being proud of using taxpayer dollars for political purposes. Is that even a serious comment?

reforms don’t need to be in the budget glossary. When has Madigan ever been opposed to negotiating non-budget items with the budget? The answer is never, it’s always blurred together, until now.

On the 71, you just proved my point. If the measuring stick for Rauner is 30 and 60. Then Madigan can just walk in and show us how he’s going to fix the budget, revenue, etc without the Governor or R’s.

Go tell Madigan to show you the Gov’s sig on the stairs, or the supermajority in both chambers that will do this without the Governor and that signature.

I’m waiting. Yeah, because your logic, if you can call it that with a straight face, is that no plan of Rauner’s is real without having 30 and 60.
But yet there’s no plan on the other side for doing it without the R’s and the Gov. So if Rauner needs 60 and 30, then Madigan needs to make 71 work or figure out how to get a gov signature. It’s the same thing.

Comment by m Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 10:08 am
===Rauner just wants to blow up this state(?)===

OW, I think I’m a smart guy and that’s why I’ve given up with speculating on what their motives are.

My mother was clinically diagnosed with a mental illness and her father and siblings go through a lot of pain trying to assign or understand what her motives are instead of just accepting that her motives just aren’t able to be understood because they frame the universe differently than she does.

You may never be able to anticipate or understand Rauner’s motives. I think we both see him bringing unnecessary harm into the lives of thousands, see him destroying our institutions, and putting the State of Illinois into a deeper hole than anyone could have imagined in November of 2014 while he funds a continuous campaign against his political opponents demanding that they meet with him, carry out his orders, and ignore the insults and attacks funded by him.

But that’s probably not what Governor Rauner sees, and maybe we should stop trying to assign him motives. I hate to speculate, but Rauner probably fashions himself the hero — A billionaire come from nothing, blessed by god and his righteous capitalism that rewards the best standing up to the evils of socialism — employees bargaining for benefits and taxes being paid to fund roads and schools and lining the pockets of evil bosses.

So, I’m done guessing. I’m just along for the ride. Emotionally it’s just easier.

Comment by Anon Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 10:09 am
Another three seats will cost Rauner how many millions of dollars?

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 10:11 am
Comparing someone who disagrees with you on a political position to the Stasi, a murderous organization who imprisoned or killed those who disagree with the state’s position, is rich, especially for union members who use intimidation to keep members in line.

Comment by Anony Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 10:13 am
Go ahead and target Stuart. All the millions spent against glanced off. Your ground game sucked and was comprised of temp paid SIUE conservative club freshman. They will face a totally activated labor livid and frothing at the mouth from the horror they’ve been through at the hands of Rauner and Trump.

Comment by Honeybear Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 10:14 am
Anon @10:09 - that’s a great post.

Comment by Anony Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 10:17 am
===…maybe we should stop trying to assign him motives.===

No.

And it’s with great respect and granting your thoughtful comment it’s complete due… but no.

“Why?”

The 2012 quote defines exactly what’s happening. To. A. Tee.

With great respect to your ask. Seriously.

OW

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 10:26 am
Anon 10:09 I would like to ask that you not let go and coast. Take break sure. I have too all the time. Daily really. But I get back up and join the line against what is happening. So much is on the line. Understanding especially motives informs action. So many times people (sometimes they were right) called me hysterical and thought I should give up cap fax. They thought my predictions and worries were unfounded with this new governor. Turns out in many ways I was right or that I even underestimated. Exploring motives is invaluable to me in that it informs my actions and counters to Rauner. My buzzword on this blog Perfidy. Understanding that Rauner is completely and utterly perfidious is really important in dealing with him. He always obscures his real purpose and motives. By assigning and maintaining this heuristic I help neutralize in some instances the political way crime he commits over and over. “Come on out state workers. I love you guys. Here’s a 1000$ bonus for you. Come out where I can see you. Hey there you are. Gotcha!” BLAM One shot one kill. Perfidy. Please don’t sit this out. He’ll come for you eventually.

Comment by Honeybear Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 10:42 am
===R’s have to use private money.===

LOL - you don’t think that Rauner uses any public funds for his political gamesmanship? Are you even paying attention? Do read anything that comes out of the Governor’s office press shop?

Comment by JoeMaddon Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 10:51 am
=taxpayer dollars for political purposes.=

Where do you think Rauner earned some of his fortune? Utilizing “taxpayer” money.

And, how obtuse must you be? Rauner’s failure to propose a budget has cost “taxpayers” uncounted millions that have to be paid in interest and late fees. His decision to make certain denigrating statements about CPS immediately preceding bonds issues has cost a pretty penny in higher interest rates. All on the dime of “taxpayers”.

So go back to emptying the governors waste baskets or whatever you do and stop with the lying.

Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 1:25 pm
Voter persuasion requires facts for your position, voter suppression intimidates the voter before hand with threats from the boss

Comment by Rabid Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 2:24 pm
What was that Sonny and Cher song? “And the beat goes on”

Comment by Huh? Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 3:00 pm
Everyone that really knows what’s gone on in the 84th knows that Kifowit gave the boot to Madigan in 2013. Look up the campaign contributions for proof.

Remember, she has a military background and definitely succumbs to leadership by default - for all who know her this should make sense. As much as I don’t want to defend her, putting Kifowit on the hit list for being a current Madigan puppet is unfair.

Comment by plainfield liberal Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 3:06 pm
===With great respect to your ask. Seriously.===

OW, I do understand your motives for sticking with your conclusion — for what it’s worth my statement wasn’t so much about that specific quote as it was to just generally assuming that he even sees the world the same way you do or shares the same concept of civil society, government, or egalitarianism.

===not let go and coast===

Honeybear, I think you take me too literally.

===He’ll come for you eventually.===

He’s already here. He’s been here for two years. Rauner ad Portas. Defeating Rauner and righting the ship of state has absolutely nothing to do with trusting him or assigning imagined motives to him.

Winning in this environment needs to be about 1.) what is going to be accomplished 2.) how it will be accomplished and 3.) selling it and the leadership seems to have missed that boat.

And if you think AFSCME hasn’t lost yet, that’s fine — but they’re losing. A lot of things have been taken for granted by a lot of leaders in labor and the Democratic Party and it’s time for them to step up, step out, and lead which is more than just having a title and going to meetings.

We live in a state where the body politic doesn’t want to pay taxes and their representatives have spent decades lying to them about how much revenue is needed and how it can be obtained by just cutting the fat. So — some of our legislators may need to learn a new skill set.

Comment by Anon Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 4:53 pm