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Our fiscally conservative Abe Lincoln reincarnation… Or something

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Illinois

* Over the weekend, a Chicago Sun-Times columnist claimed Gov. Bruce Rauner is “the state’s number one fiscal conservative.” That’s not really new. Fortune magazine, two Crain’s Chicago Business columnists and ABC 7 Chicago have all used that label for the governor in the past few months.

Five public universities with junk bond ratings and an unpaid bill mountain of $12.9 billion doesn’t exactly indicate fiscal conservatism to me, but whatever.

* Check this out…

When Gov. BRUCE RAUNER appeared at a campaign-paid appearance last week at Fulgenzi’s Pizza & Pasta in Springfield, he was introduced by state Rep. TIM BUTLER, R-Springfield, who compared the governor to the 16th president.

Butler, who was named to the House in March 2015 and was unopposed for a full term in 2016, said he was “struck” by Rauner’s inauguration speech, when the governor said, “‘Some in government will be tempted to once again take the easy road, to leave the real problems for another day and the next generation.’”

“We love Lincoln here in Springfield,” Butler said. “And I will say, no one has exemplified Abraham Lincoln’s words more … ‘Be sure to put your feet in the right place, and stand firm.’” (Lincoln actually said, “then stand firm,” but Butler was quite close.)

“Governor Rauner has stood firm against 50 years of Speaker … MIKE MADIGAN, and he’s doing the people’s work,” Butler said.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 10:51 am

Comments

What exactly is fiscal conservatism? It’s a lot more than a label correct. That label actually means something.

Surely fiscal conservatism isn’t merely about bleeding a political entity dry to ensure significant reforms.

Comment by Levois Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 10:58 am
===‘Be sure to put your feet in the right place, and stand firm.’” (Lincoln actually said, “then stand firm,” but Butler was quite close.)

“Governor Rauner has stood firm against 50 years of Speaker … MIKE MADIGAN, and he’s doing the people’s work,” Butler said.===

Two sentences, two provable facts misrepresented. First a quote, then the 50 years.

I wouldn’t call Tim Butler “Honest Abe”. Butler can’t even be remotely honest in consecutive quotes!

Don’t worry Mr. Butler, Bruce and Diana are proud of your… own facts, lol

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 10:59 am
I think Lincoln also said “You can fool all the people some of the time and some of the people all the time. But you cannot fool all the people all the time” I guess we will find out of that is still true.

Comment by DuPage Saint Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 10:59 am
“Labor is prior to and independent of capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if labor had not first existed. Labor is the superior of capital, and deserves much the higher consideration.” -Abraham Lincoln

Sure sounds like something that would come out of Governor Rauner’s mouth, doesn’t it? /s

Comment by Juice Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 11:05 am
Amen, DuPage Saint. Another Lincoln quote more relevant to the current situation is the one where he said he was “too big to cry, and far too badly hurt to laugh.”

Comment by Whatever Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 11:05 am
Tim Butler is a joke. Maybe he should stick with voting the way his boss wants and leave the historical analysis to the historians.

Comment by Rogue Roni Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 11:05 am
Pitiful. Free spending progressive. Just hates unions.

Comment by Blue dog dem Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 11:06 am
@FakeTimButler - My good friend Bruce Rauner is a lot like FDR when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor. #PhonyPraisePhonyFacts

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 11:06 am
A fiscal conservative wouldn’t be the number one proponent of corporate welfare in the form of EDGE and EZ. Hundreds of millions wasted at the expense of small business.

Bruce picks winners and losers every day.

If you’re a large company just simply go to DCEO
They’ll let you out of you’re taxes
Stick the bill with the middle class and
Never ask a question.

Bruce is the antithesis of fiscal conservative!
God sakes Honeybear is more fiscally conservative!

Comment by Honeybear Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 11:08 am
“Fiscal conservatism” used to mean paying what you owe and spending no more than you can afford.

Calling Rauner a fiscal conservative suggests that tripling the backlog of unpaid bills is consistent with that term. Ditto for making vendors wait years to be paid for goods and services already rendered. And for digging a huge deficit with no end in sight.

Comment by anon2 Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 11:08 am
@FakeTimButler - My good friend Bruce Rauner is a lot like Winston Churchill when the British fought Argentina for the Falklands #PhonyPraisePhonyFacts

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 11:09 am
Hmm. Put a black beard on Daniel Biss …

Comment by walker Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 11:12 am
Don’t fiscal conservatives actually pay their bills instead of trying to weasel out of them?

Comment by PublicServant Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 11:12 am
>>“Governor Rauner has stood firm against 50 years of Speaker … MIKE MADIGAN, and he’s doing the people’s work,” Butler said.

Comment by Grandson of Man Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 11:16 am
Bruce Rauner is the “Honest Abe” of the post-truth era!

Comment by Jimmy H Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 11:16 am
Tim ‘Kiss’ Buttler

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 11:18 am
Hmm… both were very tall, lanky…. that’s about all I’ve got.

Comment by Anon Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 11:19 am
@FakeTimButler - My good friend Bruce Rauner is a lot like the captain of Titanic that sailed that ship to safety after hitting a tidal wave #PhonyPraisePhonyFacts

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 11:20 am
Sorry my post got cut off.

Doing the work of the people? Rauner’s giving the people the business. He’s wrecking the state in his war against one politician, instead of working in the people’s interests. He’s supposed to represent positive change and an improvement, which theoretically should not be hard to do, but the state is far worse off because of Rauner.

Comment by Grandson of Man Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 11:21 am
Tim Butler, the one of the best arguments for mapping reform. He obviously does not care to represent the union members that are in the southern part of his district.

Comment by A Jack Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 11:22 am
@FakeTimButler - My good friend Bruce Rauner is a lot like President Thomas Dewey #PhonyPraisePhonyFacts

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 11:39 am
@FakeTimButler - My good friend Bruce Rauner is a lot like Ronald Reagan when he tore down the Great Wall of China #PhonyPraisePhonyFacts

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 11:43 am
Perhaps Mr Butler should acquaint himself with Lincoln’s views on unions: http://www.sj-r.com/article/20120417/News/304179895

Comment by Reality Check Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 11:44 am
Butler needs to read a little more about Lincoln. Rauner’s destruction of Illinois’ social service system, higher education and credit ratings don’t make me think about the leadership provided by Lincoln.

Comment by Norseman Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 11:45 am
No Need but Corporate Need- fakegovrauner

Comment by Honeybear Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 11:46 am
Just because the Governor would like to suspend habeas corpus doesn’t mean he is like Lincoln! /s

Comment by Ducky LaMoore Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 11:46 am
@FakeTimButler - My good friend Bruce Rauner is a lot like President Ford and his basketball playing days at Ohio State #PhonyPraisePhonyFacts

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 11:49 am
@FakeTimButler - My good friend Bruce Rauner is a lot like President Grant and his naval record in World War I #PhonyPraisePhonyFacts

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 11:51 am
If he’s number one, who else was in the running?There’s a difference between reduced government spending and failing to honor existing contracts.

I think Tim was comparing Bruce to the Abraham Lincoln statue…not the actual person.

Comment by Jocko Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 12:12 pm
‘We are now far into the third year, since a policy was initiated, with the avowed object, and confident promise, of putting an end to the state budget deficit.

Under the operation of that policy, that deficit has not only, not ceased, but has constantly augmented.

In my opinion, it will not cease, until a crisis shall have been reached, and passed.

“A house divided against itself cannot stand.”

I believe this government cannot endure, permanently half-funded.

I do not expect the Union to be dissolved — I do not expect the house to fall — but I do expect it will cease to be divided.

It will become all one thing or all the other.

Either the opponents of Turn Around Agenda, will arrest the further spread of it, and place it where the public mind shall rest in the belief that it is in the course of ultimate extinction; or its advocates will push it forward, till it shall become alike lawful in all the state, old as well as new — North as well as South.’

Comment by Bruce Lincoln Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 12:26 pm
Rauner would be more aptly described as an Inept Fiscal Conservative on the yellow brick road seeking a heart and courage.

Comment by Winnin' Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 12:27 pm
That Butler can pucker and plant ‘em, can’t he?

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 12:53 pm
It’s a safe bet that history won’t rank our current governor alongside Lincoln. Or even Ogilvie.

Comment by anon2 Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 1:59 pm
I always thought it was a conservative thing to not increase debt load. The Gov alone, is responsible for getting our bills paid, and he’s late on 2 years worth of claims. That’s anti-business

Comment by Unions Man Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 2:05 pm
“Fake quotes are killing the internet.”
- Abe Lincoln-

Comment by Scott Cross for President Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 2:21 pm
Wee…they’re both tall Republicans from Illinois. Beyond that, I got nothing.

Comment by Cheryl44 Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 3:43 pm
Accruing 9% interest on state unpaid bills is not fiscally conservative after 648 days without a full state budget.

Comment by Team Warwick Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 3:45 pm
We need alot more Lincoln Wide-Awakes

Comment by Team Warwick Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 3:48 pm
Rich….How can anybody think BR is a consertive?? He married a Dem and has many Dem ideas..SAD. But remember Thompson was a Dem & also Edgar and Ryan acted like one most of the time with his big Gov ideas.

Comment by scott aster Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 3:51 pm
These capitalist generally act harmoniously and in concert to fleece the people;and now that they have gotten into a quarrel with themselves, we are called upon to appropriate the people’s money to settle the quarrel (Abraham Lincoln)

Comment by Rabid Tuesday, Apr 25, 17 @ 7:13 am