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* UPDATED x1 * Trump versus Madigan

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When gubernatorial candidate Chris Kennedy sent out his first email to supporters last night, he mentioned incumbent Bruce Rauner’s name—twice. But President Donald Trump’s name appeared three times.

When I asked a top Rauner strategist if they’re worried, he had a two-word reply: Mike Madigan. […]

“Rauner is a failed governor who has made Illinois worse by dividing people and failing to fix the mess,” says Kennedy strategist Eric Adelstein. “There are a lot of parallels with President Trump and his stubbornness and failure to bring people together.”

When I asked Adelstein if voters should expect to hear a lot more about Trump from the Kennedy campaign, he had a one word answer: “Yes.” […]

“Mike Madigan is in far worse shape with voters than Trump,” says [a Rauner source]. And to the extent that Trump is disliked: “Voters understand he has different views from Trump” on issues ranging from abortion rights to abolishing Obamacare and converting Medicaid to a block grant.

I seriously doubt that many voters know the governor is opposed to converting the Medicaid program to a block grant system, but otherwise it’s not a bad point.

Elections are referendums on the incumbent. The idea by the Republicans has always been to make Madigan the incumbent in voters’ minds. Rauner is an outsider, he just got here two years ago. Madigan is the entrenched insider stopping all progress. You know the drill.

It’s like the old story about the two guys around a campfire seeing an approaching bear. One puts on his running shoes. The other says “You’ll never outrun a bear even in those shoes.”

“I don’t have to outrun the bear,” the first guy says, “I just have to outrun you.”

That right there is what Rauner has been doing to Madigan. Yes, the governor is unpopular, but Madigan is more so. He just has to outrun Madigan.

The Trump card wasn’t played much here last year, so we don’t know how effective it’ll be, but, for now, it doesn’t hurt the Democrats at all. Likely primary voters are fired up like we haven’t seen in a long while, so it’s a smart move at the moment.

* Meanwhile, this is from one of Kennedy’s fundraising e-mails…

States controlled by the radical right are losing people and jobs. Banks and investors are reluctant to fund new investments. Meanwhile, Republican legislatures have cut government services for thousands, including kids who are disabled, the sick and elderly, and wounded veterans.

Governor Rauner has supported the same alt-right, anti-woman, anti-immigrant, anti-worker agenda that Donald Trump has promoted. With this election, we have the opportunity to reject that agenda and send a message from Illinois that this behavior won’t be accepted anywhere in the country.

With redistricting coming up soon, this race takes an even bigger importance. We can’t let Governor Rauner and his allies try to gerrymander our maps to elect more Republicans from Illinois who will blindly support President Trump.

With the right leadership, we can oppose the worst of the Trump agenda and embrace the best of economic success and opportunity.

OK, well, that first paragraph could be about Illinois and the Democratic legislature, which hasn’t approved a real budget and has therefore effectively cut lots of services.

That second graf may be over the top, but it’ll probably resonate with Democratic primary voters at this point in the game.

And I’m kinda surprised that the Republicans haven’t whacked Kennedy yet for that third paragraph, because that might possibly imply he wants Madigan to draw the next map. He should’ve probably insisted on remap reform.

…Adding… Another heavily edited video from the ILGOP…

Press release is here.

*** UPDATE *** The predictable press release…

Another day, another sign Chris Kennedy is a Madigan lap dog.

In a fundraising email sent out Wednesday, Kennedy said that “With redistricting coming up soon, this race takes an even bigger importance.”

Governor Rauner believes that the legislature should pass redistricting reform to take the decision out of the hands of politicians.

By refusing to stand for reform, Kennedy is backing Mike Madigan’s position that the legislature he controls should decide how to draw districts.

Illinois’ Madigan-drawn districts are some of the most gerrymandered in the country.

In fact, 2/3 of candidates for the General Assembly faced no opponent in the 2016 election.

That’s not democracy, that’s a rigged system. And Chris Kennedy wants to perpetuate it.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 9:32 am

Comments

Trump will cost Rauner a minimum of 2 points next fall, the because Madigan didn’t carry Munger to the finish line, AND BVR will have to face the music for the failures of the last 4 years.

Comment by Wow Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 9:36 am
A several hundred thousand came out to march with the sister marchs in Chicago, Springfield, and Carbondale. The IPI got a hundred (maybe?) out to protest Madigan. Madigans not popular but Trump is toxic.

Comment by Rogue Roni Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 9:38 am
The difference, as always, is that Rauner’s name will be on millions of ballots, and Madigan’s will be on thousands.

Comment by OkComputer Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 9:40 am
==He should’ve probably insisted on remap reform.== ‘
They’d be fools not to. There’s no harder data out there than what they have on this issue.

Comment by A guy Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 9:40 am
“He should’ve probably insisted on remap reform.”

I think the obvious positioning coming on remap reform is that Rauner’s wants remap reform to draw more districts for Trump.

Comment by OkComputer Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 9:42 am
Why not ask ComandoMakeItUp(Kirk) and Wingman (Munger) how they feel using that two word strategy…BTW BigBrain just implied Trump’s bigoted travel ban may have been “rash” Go get em Tiger

Comment by Annonin' Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 9:44 am
To the Post,

I go back and forth on the “Trump” thing, but I always keep it as a prong, not the base, against Rauner.

Governors own.

Rauner spent $60 million as an outsider with “Pat Quinn failed”. Look at debates, the press releases, hearing that gave us “The Owl”… “Who, who, who was it… “… it was Quinn, always Quinn.

The Trump “thingy” is really about, for me, ginning up the base for “motivation” towards “Bruce Rauner failed”, it’s like selling the premise, and when they need the close, you top it with “Trump”

Trump didn’t “un-fund” Higher Ed.

Trump didn’t ignore signed contracts to Social Service organizations.

Trump didn’t go to Decatur and told of a desire to destroy Illinois Labor.

Trump didn’t choose one Illinois Hostage. Trump didn’t choose to put Social Service and Labor as a choice for leverage.

Trump can be “Rauner”, Rauner can be “Trump”, but Rauner’s record and “Skyhook in reverse” scares Rauner more than facing an opponent focused on linking him to Trump as its base.

Rauner has many, many hot buttons to get under his skin, “heartless” is one that is obvious.

Trump is indeed a way to close the margin, close the deal against Rauner, but Rauner facing “Pat Quinn failed” as “Bruce Rauner failed”… that bear might catch Rauner easier… with Skyhook first, and Trump closing the deal.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 9:46 am
Did the Rauner source just give Kennedy a campaign strategy by pointing out how Rauner disagrees with Trump? The Dem PACs should start writing the scripts now for downstate pointing out where Rauner counters Trump ideology to try to diminish voter turnout.

The flip side to this is that Kennedy is virtually synonymous with liberal, so a Kennedy on the ballot may have the effect of driving up turnout of the far right.

Comment by Swift Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 9:46 am
Rogue roni, it was about 12 IPI’s, mostly young paid staff interns vs about 400 very agrieved union members. Trades folk actually. AFSCME’s were at work.

Comment by Honeybear Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 9:48 am
The message needs fine tuning or more, in my opinion. Kennedy should drop the alt-right, anti-woman, anti-immigrant part of the message, unless he pushes Rauner to tell if he voted for Trump. If he did, then yes, that can be pushed. I see Rauner evading this, sayin’ he’s bustin’ his behind for the tax payers, or something.

If Kennedy ties anti-woman to union-busting, then yes, go for it. Unionized public employee women earn the same as men in the state. Women in unions earn more than non-unionized women in every state, per one article.

It’s finally good to see someone start attacking Rauner. Rauner has been a cold-hearted failure to so many people. I would be more prone to blame Madigan, but I can’t see Rauner accepting any compromise that doesn’t involve weakening unions and the prevailing wage. Term limits are useless now, especially after the Civic Federation’s dire assessment of our fiscal situation.

Comment by Grandson of Man Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 9:48 am
–“Mike Madigan is in far worse shape with voters than Trump,” says [a Rauner source]. –

The Frat Boys tapped the keg early this week.

Yeah, that anti-Madigan protest last month in Springfield was yooge. Almost in the dozens (as in more than 24).

Only 250K showed up at the women’s anti-Trump march in Grant Park, plus others in Carbondale, Urbana, Peoria….

But let’s face it: women don’t have much of an influence on statewide elections, especially in the suburbs.

If Rauner wasn’t scared s-less about Trump, he’d say his name, or (gasp) even shake his hand and have a picture with him.

Rauner had no trouble getting on stage and being pictured with Pres. Obama. Trump, not now, not ever.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 9:55 am
I’m surprised that Kennedy didn’t hit both Rauners and Trumps lack of fiscal conservativeness. Government picking winners and losers is not Austrian economics.
EDGE unaudited unaccountable 860,000,000 giveaway to multinationals who blackmail the state.

Economic development my rear
so many Rauner economic failures
Rauner sold his soul to Darth Arduin and her supply side Laffer curve economic dark side

Kennedy tie Rauners economics to the State of Kansas

Comment by Honeybear Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 9:56 am
OW what is a “skyhook in reverse”. You’ve said this before and urban dictionary left me more confused. Good lord don’t look it up on that. So sorry I tried to be adult and find it but I failed.

Comment by Honeybear Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 10:06 am
Tying Rauner to Trump is just stupid. Who knows how the President may be doing in 18 months. What we should do is tie Kennedy to the a Dems ruining Illinois with their allegiance to the State’s public sector unions along with Madigan who endorsed Blago twice. I guess Kennedy was a Blago supporter as well. Anyone check his contributions in 02 and 06?

Comment by Sue Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 10:08 am
Trump won’t be on anyone’s ballot in 2018. Madigan will only be on a few (and the vast majority of those people will vote for him). Sure, Trump dominates every discussion, and that will have some effect, but the Governor’s race will almost entirely be organized around Rauner and his Democratic opponent.

Rauner’s “make Madigan the incumbent” strategy is interesting, and you can tease out some positive effect from it in the ‘16 election results, but if the prevailing attitude remains “a pox on both their houses”, Rauner’s going to be the only one most people can punish.

Comment by Arsenal Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 10:09 am
- Honeybear -

I explained it about a month ago… it’s an “In Harms Way” reference. Search it here. Too much of another “left turn” again.

To the Post,

Further, if downstate Trump numbers, or I-80 corridor numbers for Trunp stay stagnant or the same, then the ginning up turnout in Chicago/Cook to offset the off-year (with Trump, that works out) lagging.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 10:11 am
==The Trump card wasn’t played much here last year==

Well, LIFT tried, but they did it very poorly- “Trump and the Rauner Republicans” or something like that. But this demonstrates what I just mentioned- Rauner wasn’t on the ballot, and LIFT’s ads didn’t get specific to anyone who was. You gotta run against someone that people can actually vote against.

Comment by Arsenal Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 10:11 am
===Well, LIFT tried, but they did it very poorly===

I disagree.

The goal was to lay a groundwork and stave off possible big loses with Madigan…

$40 million and +6 total seats…. (Actually 4, Franks’ and Sullivan’s seats were going to flip) the LIFT monies and angle allowed pause.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 10:15 am
==Rauner has many, many hot buttons to get under his skin, “heartless” is one that is obvious.==

Which is odd to me, because I don’t think his voters in ‘18 really expected an excessive amount of compassion out of him.

==The Dem PACs should start writing the scripts now for downstate pointing out where Rauner counters Trump ideology to try to diminish voter turnout.==

I’ve tried stuff like that before, and it’s usually too clever by half. It’s not like any Dem candidate is going to agree to ban Muslims.

==OW what is a “skyhook in reverse”.==

It’s the only way to beat Kareem in one-on-one.

(If I may: the basic idea is that Rauner has left himself vulnerable to the exact strategy that he beat Quinn with. Just keep repeating all of the Governor’s failings.)

Comment by Arsenal Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 10:23 am
===Which is odd to me, because I don’t think his voters in ‘18 really expected an excessive amount of compassion out of him.===

It’s a hot button that Rauner can’t let that adjective be out there. Rauner made a whole big deal, how he’s not “heartless”. It’s about getting under Rauner’s skin, and respond.

That’s all.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 10:26 am
Lionhearted vs. ironhearted, don’t forget to throw in the fact that voters rejected munger’s turnaround ideas from the boss

Comment by Rabid Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 10:29 am
I’m a bit dubious about a race that comes down to “Madigan” and “Trump”. The one thing that is fairly certain is that Mike Madigan isn’t going anywhere. If Rauner wasn’t able to work with Madigan and get the 60 votes needed to advance his agenda in his first four years what leads us to believe that the next four years would be any different? To me arguing “math” is better than yelling Trump.

Comment by Pundent Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 10:35 am
==The one thing that is fairly certain is that Mike Madigan isn’t going anywhere==

I mean, he might? Republicans netted out 4 seats in the House last year. If the do that again in ‘18 and ‘20, Durkin’s gonna need to change his business cards. Of course, those 4 were the low-hanging fruit, and it only gets harder from here.

And of course, my (optimistic-for-Durkin) timeline still means the Republican Majority doesn’t arrive until the middle of Rauner’s second term. There’s something to the argument that, even if you hate Madigan, Rauner’s proven unable to really do anything about him and won’t until he’s almost out the door.

Comment by Arsenal Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 10:40 am
==The goal was to lay a groundwork and stave off possible big loses with Madigan…==

With respect, I’m always dubious about the idea of laying some long-term messaging framework. It’s one thing with Rauner repeating “But Madigan!” every day. EVERY DAY. Even that has it’s limits, but at least there’s some consistency there. LIFT’S move, however, seems much weaker, if for no other reason that they went dark on Nov. 9.

As for staving off losses…I could be convinced. It’s really hard to tease out what actually moved votes in an election, and six seats is under the threshold that I thought prior to the election would mean any significant change (and in fact, we haven’t seen any significant change). So, maybe.

Comment by Arsenal Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 10:46 am
===I’m always dubious about the idea of laying some long-term messaging framework.===

Hmm…

===And of course, my (optimistic-for-Durkin) timeline still means the Republican Majority doesn’t arrive until the middle of Rauner’s second term.===

So there’s that… with respect.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 10:48 am
“Kennedy should drop the alt-right, anti-woman, anti-immigrant part of the message”

The dozens of women’s action groups that have formed since the election would tell you otherwise. These are huge points of anger and they don’t seem to be going away. ACA is another hot button.

Trump is to Rauner what Madigan is to Kennedy. Though, I think people are finally seeing through the “[insert any Democrat’s name] is in Madigan’s back pocket” tactic they’ve used for 3+ years now.

Rauner is sneaky with his agenda. He likes to keep quiet on topics like Chicago homicide and women’s issues and let the damage be done.

He finally addressed immigration in his radio show today but only to add fodder to Trump’s lies by saying the immigration system is “broken.” It’s not broken. A two-year vetting process is broken? We’ve not suffered another foreign terrorist attack on American soil since 9/11 - you call that broken?

Of course, everything is “broken” according to Bruce. That’s what he wants us to think. He lies to fire up his base. He’s just like Trump.

Comment by Politix Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 10:50 am
Seems to me that the Dems are putting a big bet on Trump not succeeding. I know it is not a popular thing to say here but Trump has been quite successful and will continue to be. See the Betsy DeVos vote. Lots of squawking but in the end she was still confirmed
What happens when he gets his agenda passed (tax reform, health care reform, education reform etc) and people actually like what he has done?

Then what?

Comment by BIG R. Ph. Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 10:52 am
Stay focused on Rauner ineptness and his desire to destroy Illinois. Trump is a distraction from Rauner’s record or lack their of.

Any word from Dillard running as a third party candidate ?

Comment by A veteran Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 10:53 am
–Tying Rauner to Trump is just stupid.–

Your objective concern-trolling is noted and hilarious.

The GOP didn’t get those gains in governorships and legislatures by running against Obama in off-prez years, did they?

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 10:59 am
–Any word from Dillard running as a third party candidate ?–

Yes, the word is “huh?”

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 11:01 am
One thing for sure: Rauner and Trump both have an affinity for perfidy and an aversion to facts and the truth.

Comment by don the legend Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 11:04 am
=====And of course, my (optimistic-for-Durkin) timeline still means the Republican Majority doesn’t arrive until the middle of Rauner’s second term.===

So there’s that… with respect.==

LOL. You got me. I undersold how unlikely I find the “Speaker Durkin” scenario.

Comment by Arsenal Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 11:04 am
- Skyhook in reverse -

Willy, what does this refer to? I think I missed it long ago.

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 11:05 am
Skyhook…

http://bit.ly/2kuiNCK

In comments.

To the Post,

Rauner isn’t getting any primary challenge, and Rauner is hoping/counting on Koch Brothers dark/outside monies to go after any/every Dem primary candidate.

Looking to a Dillard, or anyone else isn’t realistic.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 11:09 am
the value of playing the Trump card jumped dramatically. starting with the dark lord’s inaugural speech, the Spicer meltdown the next day, and continuing with the White House Home Shopping Network hosted by Kellyanne and, of course National Treasure,and Illinois’ own, Melissa McCarthy in a sketch that skewered all things Trump, and the immigration ban fiasco, the country is on fire with Trump loathing. first the townhall for Roskam, moving to Jason Chaffetz, the high rhetoric level in this county will not stay out of Illinois. never mind the women’s marches that started off the reaction. and soon to come, the strike. Trump stock has plummeted. play the card!

Comment by Amalia Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 11:10 am
Thanks OW and Arsenal.

One of these weekends I think Rich should host the Oswego Willy film festival with guest lecturers on the political significance of OW’s chosen films for that year.

I just showed the Matrix to my girls for the first time.
“Shhhhhh , please stop with the epiphany noises” my eldest says to me as I ahah! To every nugget of insight.
Then they laugh hysterically at the martial art scenes. I thought they were cool. They found them hokey and contrived. Kids these days. No respect.

Comment by Honeybear Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 11:10 am
What evidence is there that Trump is anti worker? He had Trumka and other union leaders in his oval office week 1 and they raved about him.

You could argue that the Democrats open borders policy has depressed wages, (especially in construction) and hurt labor. Also being against huge projects like the keystone pipeline and for trade deals has not helped them gain any favor with labor in the midwest.

I really don’t get the Trump Rauner connection, not a whole lot of interaction between the two and their policies are very different

Comment by Lucky Pierre Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 11:13 am
LIFT ads were about ginning up Dem turnout in a non-Obama year when the Clinton campaign wasnt going to be spending money in Illinois. They wanted sporadic Dem voters to come out to vote against Trump (even though he had no chance in IL) so that they would hopefully stick around & vote downballot too.

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 11:16 am
(Tips cap to - Honeybear -)

- Arsenal -,

It’s all good. I think it highlights how easy and how difficult, it is looking at things 18 months away, linking and making a proxy with one actor the actual candidate and the other (Madigan and Trump, both) a proxy that a candidate is running from or wanting to run against.

Of course, any incumbent that thinks running against their own record, or any challenger not forcing that incumbent to defend their record… both are instances of gross malpractice.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 11:18 am
At least with Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education Rauner can pick up a gun at one of his school visits and blast that bear!

Comment by Precinct Captain Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 11:18 am
I also got robocalls telling me to come out and vote against Trump - that was the hot issue for Dem turnout, so they went with that instead of minutiae about Comptroller or State Rep races

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 11:20 am
Mike Madigan is Rauner’s enemy. It would be a rather remarkable stroke of good fortune if the wisest course of action, politically, was to relentlessly attack your hated rival. If the strategy you’ve come up with is the one that gives you the most personal gratification it’s more than likely that your judgement has been clouded.

Rauner ran on a record of success and he promised to bring that track record to Springfield to fix the state. Mike Madigan is now his excuse and he can only blame Madigan if he’s conceding the ability to run on success, which was the underlying premise of his candidacy in the first place.

This seems like an awful lot of political risk just to run the strategy that feels good.

Comment by The Captain Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 11:24 am
“I really don’t get the Trump Rauner connection, not a whole lot of interaction between the two and their policies are very different.”

You need to read more. His education policies line right up with Charter School Betsy. He also seems to be in agreement with Trump’s dangerous and racist immigration policy, refusing to denounce it and calling the immigration system “broken.” He uselessly blames on Rahm for Chicago’s homicide rate and contributes absolutely nothing of value toward a solution.

Comment by Politix Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 11:31 am
==What evidence is there that Trump is anti worker?==

He supports RTWFL, fights unionizing at his hotels, said UAW workers make too much money, and nominated a wage thief for Labor Secretary.

==I really don’t get the Trump Rauner connection==

That’s kind of on you, then. Two Republican businessmen with no prior governmental experience are naturally going to get compared, even before you examine their largely similar agendas.

Comment by Arsenal Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 11:31 am
LP- sure Trump had the labor leaders over. That was all he wanted. The photo op. And to placate them with talk of infrastructure. But it is perfidy just like Rauner only worse. You might not know this LP but the anti labor stuff being prepared in congress is devastating. Perfidy works. You remembered the pic of Trump with the trades. This was done before the anti labor moves behind the scenes were revealed.

Trump wears his own knockoff of perfidy

Comment by Honeybear Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 11:33 am
==What happens when he gets his agenda passed (tax reform, health care reform, education reform etc) and people actually like what he has done?==

Then it won’t matter what Democrats do, Republicans will win. This is basic politics, the Out party only has a shot if people don’t like what the In Party is up to.

Comment by Arsenal Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 11:37 am
And someone seriously needs to ask Kennedy who *should* draw the maps in Illinois, and how exactly Rauner is going to gerrymander anything, given the current partisan composition of the General Assembly.

Comment by JB13 Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 11:42 am
President Obama and just about every other politician right, left and center has called our immigration system broken.

There is plenty of disagreement on how to fix it. Trump seems to be for securing the border, deporting the violent criminals and then dealing with the “good people”. I don’t think any serious person believes he wants to depart everyone. Many on the left believe in one borders with no restrictions.

Who in their right mind thinks we don’t need immigration reform?

Comment by Lucky Pierre Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 11:43 am
Folks - minority parents are big backers of school choice. BTW so was Corrie Booker and even Queen elizabeth W before they started focusing their sites on the WH and the NEA/AFT put their foot down. Public school monopolies on education have done a disservice to inner city kids. It’s refreshing to have Devos in the position at Education

Comment by Sue Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 11:45 am
Honeybear I would guess Trump will have plenty of disagreements with Congressional Republicans. Organized Labor leaders were very complimentary about their meeting with the President. Time will tell

Comment by Lucky Pierre Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 11:46 am
===I don’t think any serious person believes he wants to depart everyone. Many on the left believe in one borders with no restrictions.===

Then Rauner should unabashedly support Trump on this.

Why hasn’t he? lol

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 11:47 am
OMG, Let the Lying begin!

Comment by NeverPoliticallyCorrect Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 11:58 am
–Many on the left believe in one borders with no restrictions.–

One borders?

Who knew, though, that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce were “Democrats” and “on the left.”

Define “left,” anyway. While you’re at it explain how your boss is a “fiscal conservative.”

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 11:58 am
https://www.uschamber.com/immigration?tab=position#timelineI

Here is the official position of the US Chamber of Commerce on Immigration

Wikileaks detailed Secretary Clinton’s position on immigration and she was for open borders. Republican primary voters turned out for Trump because of his position on the wall.

No the Chamber is not for open borders Wordslinger

Comment by Lucky Pierre Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 12:06 pm
“States controlled by the radical right are losing people and jobs. Banks and investors are reluctant to fund new investments.”

Talk about poor messaging…

As Rich said, this same sentence could be revised slightly and it would spell “Springfield.” Does someone in Kennedy’s gubernatorial campaign suffer from myopia? How long has this candidate lived in the Prairie State.

Comment by Whoa Nelly! Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 12:18 pm
Here’s a video of Trump’s Press Secretary Sean Spicer from around a week ago, saying Trump believes in RtW, and workers would have to sacrifice for “job creators.”

https://www.c-span.org/video/?c4654802/white-house-rtw

I’d love to see Trump veto the RtW bill if it makes it through Congress. If he signs it, then people can really tie Rauner to Trump.

Comment by Grandson of Man Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 12:25 pm
To the Update,

It was very predictable, given how the Kennedy Crew were writing that in a fundraising letter.

Now, I feel Rauner controlling the signing off on the map for Raunerites isn’t the best, given the “appointed” Raunerites and their concern for Illinois, so far.

For a Democratic gubernatorial candidate in a fundraising letter, it’s going to draw pointed criticism.

Instead of “this”…

===With redistricting coming up soon, this race takes an even bigger importance. We can’t let Governor Rauner and his allies try to gerrymander our maps to elect more Republicans from Illinois who will blindly support President Trump.===

I woulda went with…

“Governor Rauner has put his stamp on the legislature with millions donated by him and his allies, aiding in victories for himself and not for the betterment of Illinois. Imagine what Rauner could do with a second term and his insertion in more legislative races”

Why be so specific in the writing? The fear is once Rauner wins, the Raunerite expansion, new map or not, will continue for elections to come.

No need to spell out what can better be alluded to without a push back.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 2:44 pm
Talk about Alt facts. Didn’t you folks see the article yesterday- Illinois was the only state that actually lost manufacturing jobs among the neighboring RTW locales. We lost 11000 last year. Things in Indiana, Ohio etc are leaps and bounds ahead of Illinois in terms of Jobs and state fiscal issues. But who cares about the facts around here if it they get in the way of liberal ideology

Comment by Sue Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 3:47 pm
–Seems to me that the Dems are putting a big bet on Trump not succeeding.–

No, just betting that he lost the state by more than 900,000 votes with 38.6% of the vote.

So, that’s why Rauner won’t say his name or appear with him. That’s a sure thing.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 3:57 pm
Word -you probably would support Illexit

Comment by Sue Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 4:15 pm
–Word -you probably would support Illexit–

Is that supposed to make sense to anyone but yourself? Party on, Sue.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 4:53 pm