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Gov. Bruce Rauner has been in office for about two years, but he suggested Thursday that the time has felt much longer given the protracted battle with Democrats that has left Illinois without a budget.

“I have been a politician for two years now, but it’s really dog years. It’s really 14 years,” Rauner told a community group in Decatur on Thursday. “This is a really hard thing.”

* The Question: How long does it feel to you? Explain.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 2:04 pm

Comments

Well, in “public servant” years it has only been, what? A week?

Comment by Don Gerard Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 2:07 pm
Decades …

Comment by RNUG Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 2:09 pm
He also said he’s never been happier in his life.

I watch from my seat in the front row as tens of thousands of Illinois students flee the state for their education or choose to abandon the dream of college altogether. That damage started two years ago and it will be felt for 2,3, 4 or more years. The kids that never started as Freshmen at SIU, Eastern, or Western will never be sophomores, juniors or seniors. Hopefully we’ll have a new Governor in 2019, but a lot of the damage is permanent.

It makes me angry that he’s happy about it.

Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 2:10 pm
How Long It’s Felt, featuring Bruce Rauner

Time Spent Campaigning: 20 years
Time Spent Governing: 2 minutes
Time it will take to undo damage done to our State: 30 years
Time Spent Picking Out Costumes: 2 years

Comment by AlfondoGonz Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 2:10 pm
It does feel that the days of Quinn are longer than just 27 or so months.

The line is…

“It’s not the years, it’s the miles”

That’s true with the Rauner tenure as Governor.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 2:11 pm
Too.Long! Each and every day since he was elected, and most especially after his first budget veto.

Comment by Anon221 Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 2:12 pm
Two lifetimes. Both my kids’ lifetimes that are college age.

Comment by East Central Illinois Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 2:12 pm
Honestly it hasn’t felt that long or out of the ordinary to me.

However, if it feels that long to Rauner it’s only going to get worse. Despite having nothing to show for it he’s mostly spent the last two years on offense, he’s likely to spend the next two playing more defense than offense. Playing that much defense can be hard on morale.

Comment by The Captain Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 2:14 pm
===Well, in “public servant” years it has only been, what? A week?===
@Don Gerard You got a license for that drive by? Bite me.

Comment by PublicServant Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 2:14 pm
Long enough to make the Quinn years seem much better than we thought at the time.

Comment by anon2 Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 2:15 pm
100 years. I’m Still Tier 2 Step 2 and deep in debt. Should be Step 3 now and Step 4 in June. Thanks again, Rauner!

Comment by Anon Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 2:15 pm
However long this feels today will pale in comparison the amount of time it takes to undue the wreckage. We’ll be living with the carnage of this administration for years and years to come. And I agree with 47th, the fact that Rauner is happy about what he’s inflicted on the state is sickening.

Comment by Pundent Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 2:18 pm
TOO LONG!

Comment by forwhatitsworth Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 2:20 pm
If the governor feels like he’s been in office for 14 years he ought to term limit himself.

Comment by PublicServant Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 2:21 pm
Ha only has about a week of actual governing under his belt.

The rest has felt like a lifetime.

Comment by JS Mill Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 2:23 pm
I will say he’s created 14 years worth of damage in 2 years so he’s got that going for him.
Sadly I agree with 47th, Happiest he’s been in his life- Lutheran Social Services, CSU, EIU, Domestic Violence Programs, Meals on Wheels, Rape Crisis Centers, Homeless Prevention, etc etc……. tells you a lot about someone when watching that much turmoil and pain causes you to be happy.

Comment by DuPage Bard Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 2:26 pm
To me it feels longer than it took the Cubs to win a World Series.

Comment by A Jack Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 2:26 pm
I was hoping Lucky would balance all these comments out with a 30 years of Madigan seems like 60 but that would mean Lucky understands 60 and 30!

Comment by don the legend Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 2:33 pm
He’s created so much havoc and uncertainty in my life by jeopardizing my career in social services which I’ve invested 18 years of effort into. Everyday, I find myself worried about the work I’ve done being destroyed and the people I try to help being tossed aside…so it feels like a very LONG time.

Comment by Il annoyed Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 2:35 pm
It seems like it has been much longer than 2 years. I am a conservative republican and early on I thought Rauner was going to be an effective Governor that would help get our house back in order. Instead he has shown himself to be a brutish, dogmatic, and completely ineffective Governor. The next thing I will say is that even Blagojevich didn’t do this much damage to the state. So, yes, it seems like much longer than 2 years.

Comment by Saluki Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 2:36 pm
It has felt like 4 years. Time for the election. Let’s go. God knows Bruce is ready.

Comment by Henry Francis Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 2:38 pm
“Who knew governin’ would be so hard?”

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 2:39 pm
It feels like five years. Ages 0-5 are critical in child development–if a child falls behind at that point he/she may never catch up, no matter how intensive the education they receive after. During his tenure Illinois has been damaged an un-nutured and it will take decades to catch up.

Comment by Earnest Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 2:40 pm
@Saluki - Although you probably aren’t going to make my Christmas list, I appreciate the honest assessment.

Comment by PublicServant Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 2:41 pm
Still stuck on day one emotionally. Been waiting for something to happen.

Comment by walker Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 2:43 pm
Seems A Very Long Time.. Rauner The Worst Politician In The Country..

Comment by Shake Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 2:43 pm
As a Dachshund and A Bassetfor, if the governor to use dog years and fix Illinois in the in describin his tenure, it should feel like 14 years. He’s busy FIXIN’ ALL OF US!

Comment by Pete & Sophie Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 2:47 pm
PublicServant’s comment at 2:21 is the hands down winner. Well done sir or ma’am.

As a lobbyist for human service and Medicaid providers, after we made it through 2007 - when we had session every month of the year, interminable special sessions, and the daily cost board on the floor - I thought, “It’ll never get worse than this.”

And I was wrong.

Comment by NoUseForAName Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 2:49 pm
It seem like just yesterday in decatur he declared war on my family with prevailing wage

Comment by Rabid Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 2:49 pm
It feels like Groundhog Day.

What would you do if you were stuck in one place and every day was exactly the same, and nothing that you did mattered?

That about sums it up for me.

Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 2:49 pm
Long enough for the following to have happened (to old folks, sick folks, young folks, homeless folks, folks with addiction issues, folks needing refuge from domestic violence, folks needing childcare, folks dealing with mental illness, folks needing cancer screenings, folks needing employment and job training, low income folks, farmers, folks needing public transportation, college students, juvies in need of rehabilitation):

http://www.responsiblebudget.org/sites/default/files/RBC%20Factsheet%20FINAL%203.24.17.pdf

Comment by Linus Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 2:49 pm
He can always resign.

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 2:50 pm
It is confusing, Rauner is enjoying being governor, with all the intentional destruction, vetoes, blocking overrides, “competitive to be compassionate”, “business decision” aloofness…

It must seem much longer because people that are trying to save Illinois are trying to stop the “break it up, then bankrupt it for profits” way of Rauner usually is an “in and out” type of deal.

I guess Rauner saying it seems “longer” is a credit to those fighting the RaunerS.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 2:52 pm
Hard to quantify in time-spans, but it feels like I’m wading in chest high mud, wearing my favorite seldom worn Carhartt jacket, my legs bound with duct tape and carrying the burden of all those who have suffered from the complete and utter failure of the governor to govern.

‘Too long’ seems so inadequate as a reference.

Comment by Tommydanger Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 2:55 pm
Times fun when you’re having flies.

Comment by Gruntled University Employee Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 2:59 pm
Feels like a decade, but I am one of the victims.

Rauner chose this path, created the pain, so spare me the crocodile tears, Mr. I-made-$180,000,000-last-year-man.

Comment by Illinoised Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 3:14 pm
“This is a really hard thing.”

Yeah, well, we could have told him that. A lot of people tried to. But of course he knew better. Surprise! Governin’ is complicated.

“. . . when do you get the chance in life to improve the future for 13 million people?’”

He should get to work on that.

Comment by JoanP Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 3:16 pm
Just long enough for me to see the need to close one of my programs. But I’ll have the opportunity to close more, and throw some more folks out of jobs, as his tenure soars to new depths!

Comment by Mister whipple Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 3:25 pm
“this is a really hard thing” sounds an awful lot like “no one knew health care was this complicated” - the comparisons just get deeper and deeper

To the question - long enough that people have died due to his intractability. That’s all you really need to know - there’s literally figurative blood on his hands.

Comment by Joe Bidenopolous Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 3:26 pm
I often wonder if Rauner somehow gets his jollies by inflicting hardship on others. Could it be?

Comment by Former hillrod Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 3:30 pm
Gov, exit door is always available stage left. No line waiting.

Comment by zatoichi Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 3:35 pm
I’m bad at math: How many zeros are in infinity? For Madigan, I feel like it’s infinity times 10.

Comment by Waiting for a Budget Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 3:38 pm
What’s he talking about with this 14 years stuff?
I keep waiting for him to start being governor.

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 3:43 pm
I think Buzz Light-year said it best:

To infinity and beyond!

Comment by RNUG Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 3:49 pm
Rauner feels like he’s spent 14 years workin’ as Gov because the impact of his failed leadership and ill-conceived policy agenda will reverberate for decades. I moved to IL from the west coast just after Rauner took office…to work in higher ed. I have been devastated to see this state’s educational, social service, and economic infrastructure gutted in such a short amount of time.

Comment by Dr. M Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 3:53 pm
20 years under the dome. Too long and too depressing to think about on a Friday.

Comment by Tired Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 3:57 pm
Oddly enough for state vendors it also feels like 14 years but they refer to it as Rauner years.

Comment by William J Kelly Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 4:06 pm
Since Captain Carhartt wants to talk numbers, lets try this one…..he has had the title of Governor for 441,504,000 seconds (in dog years). He has spent 0 of them governin’

Comment by Scooteriffic! Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 4:07 pm
47th@2:10 ==He also said he’s never been happier in his life.==

It seems to make the governor happy to hurt defenseless, helpless people. In the nursing home business, it was thousands of people in his nursing homes. Now, it’s hundreds of thousands across the state, and that makes him happier then ever. Anyone with even a tiny bit of decency or conscious would be very sad to cut the social services. Instead, he has never been happier. Tells us about our governor’s character. Heartless and crewel.

Comment by DuPage Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 4:19 pm
In Trib article, Bruce: “My wife thinks I’m nuts.” It’s not just your wife, sir…

Comment by Wading in... Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 4:21 pm
==when do you get the chance in life to improve the future for 13 million people.==

He meant to say “improve 13 people to the tune of millions”

To the question, these two years have felt like twenty…the amount of time it’ll take to repay.

To the question, given his dissembling, I now rephrase his statements through Bizarro-Bruce,

Comment by Jocko Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 4:31 pm
Oops. I meant to drop the last sentence.

Comment by Jocko Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 4:32 pm
Was our governor calling his own administration “dogs”?

Comment by 13thone Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 4:36 pm
Maybe Governor Rauner should ask former Governor Blagojevich what 14 years feels like.

Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 4:41 pm
Thompson to Edgar to Ryan to Blago to Quinn to Rauner. Each has been worse than his predecessor. Hard to believe that in 40 years we have gone from good to bad so progressively. With each our race to the bottom has accelerated. His two years has done more damage than the good that was done by Thompson, Edgar and Ryan. How do you measure that in years?

Comment by done for Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 4:51 pm
brutish, dogmatic, and completely ineffective Governor to quote comments herein - they seem like a lifetime- but there has been some pleasure in my lifetime but none with this ineffective egomaniac

Comment by Roscoe Tom Friday, Apr 7, 17 @ 4:52 pm