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Rauner’s abortion problem

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Illinois

There could be fireworks this week if the House takes up a bill that would provide public money for abortions and to protect abortion rights in the event Roe v. Wade is reversed by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Already a controversial bill, the measure’s profile was heightened last week when Rauner said he would veto it. Rauner said his reason is the sharp division that exists over whether public money should be used to pay for abortions.

Abortion-rights proponents accused Rauner of reneging on a position he took during the 2014 campaign in which he expressed support for abortion rights, including Medicaid funding of abortions, in a candidate questionnaire.

The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Sara Feigenholtz, D-Chicago, had said she would call the bill for a vote Tuesday when a large women’s rally is planned in Springfield. That was before Rauner’s veto threat was made, though.

Even some proponents of the bill say they do not believe there are enough votes in the House to override a veto, even if the bill passes that chamber and the Senate. Some Republican lawmakers also said they believe the real reason for the bill is to put Rauner on the spot.

* Sfondeles…

Abortion-rights advocates — and some Democratic candidates for governor — are calling Rauner a flip-flopper. But many conservative supporters say they’re still with him. While Rauner’s stance on the bill is unlikely to affect his primary — in which, for now, he has no challenger — it may strip off some votes in the general election, specifically votes from college-educated younger women and suburban female voters, according to Brian Gaines, a political science professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

“Abortion is one where inconsistency hurts more. So Rauner’s challenge is to say something like there’s something specific about the bill that is a problem. That even for a pro-choicer like me, there’s some reason why. Something that would sort of persuade suburban female voters that are the ones I presume he would lose that probably make the margin for a Republican governor to win or lose in a state like this,” Gaines said. “You’re starting off with a normal vote disadvantage and you have to poach away people who sometimes vote for the other people.”

According to CNN exit polls from the 2014 election — which offers just a snapshot of a small percentage of voters after leaving a polling place — Rauner had the support of about 44 percent of women voters. Among voters who called themselves moderates, about 52 percent backed Rauner. He was even able to secure the votes of about 11 percent of Democratic women who were polled.

Other polls conducted before the election showed Rauner had strong support from suburban women who were social moderates but fiscal conservatives.

Gaines said it’s hard to predict what campaign commercials might be used against Rauner but he said “flip-floppers” are sometimes highlighted in campaign ads. He called abortion and guns key issues to one-issue voters.

Maybe. I think there are “better” avenues to go down than flip-flopping. Truthfulness, trustworthiness, and, of course, the “tacking to the far right” angle that’s being used by the Democrats and this letter to the editor writer…

Gov. Bruce Rauner’s threat to veto an abortion rights bill is the epitome of hypocrisy. Candidate Rauner was decidedly pro-choice and supportive of Planned Parenthood. The Rauners still attend fundraisers for this organization that, at times, performs abortions and offers other health care services for women. Does he not see that this latest veto threat is nothing more than a naked ploy to appeal to an ultraconservative political base that he feels he need for re-election?

* On the other hand, here’s GOP state Rep. Brian Stewart….

Without further ado, here’s the question I’ll pose to you this week: Which is more important to you — taxpayer-funded abortions or a balanced budget? Now don’t think too hard because it really isn’t a trick question. And yes, it really is a “this or that” question.

Why? Because instead of continuing to work toward an agreement that could lead toward fiscal certainty and responsibility, House leadership has opted instead to push a bill that reaffirms taxpayer-funded abortions. Though there is absolutely no practical reason to bring HB 40 to a vote, some members on the other side of the aisle are relishing an opportunity to put Governor Rauner in a tough spot.

Thankfully, Governor Rauner has not caved to this shameless political ploy. He announced that if both chambers pass this sideshow of a bill, he will put an abrupt end to the political theater by vetoing HB 40. To that I say, “Bravo, Governor Rauner, bravo!”

* Sun-Times editorial…

In a way, we sympathize with the [governor]. The politics of this bill are miserable for him, and you can bet that plenty of Democrats support the legislation not because they are strongly pro-choice but because they are strongly anti-Rauner. Raw politics is driving this debate.

But that in no way changes the merits of the case. This is an important bill, extending access to a legal medical procedure to all women in Illinois and getting rid of the trigger provision. It didn’t belong in the bill way back in 1975 and certainly doesn’t belong today.

We urge the governor to put his principles first and support it.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 12:23 pm

Comments

===Tuesday when a large women’s rally is planned in Springfield.===

Is there a rally for small and medium women too?

Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 12:29 pm
I could be wrong, but I don’t think Rauner has publicly stated that he would sign a bill to revoke the trigger law as long as Medicaid funding is left out. Maybe that’s his next play? I’m not convinced there are 60 votes for HB 40 as is. Maybe Rauner could kill it by making that statement?

Comment by Anon414 Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 12:32 pm
Don’t expect Batnick to vote on this non-essential legislation.

Comment by PublicServant Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 12:33 pm
47th… Danger Will Robinson, Danger!!!

Comment by Puddintaine Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 12:33 pm
Mike Z would have never put BVR in this position..

Comment by Not Rich Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 12:40 pm
===Though there is absolutely no practical reason to bring HB 40 to a vote, some members on the other side of the aisle are relishing an opportunity to put Governor Rauner in a tough spot===

There’s really no tough spot, good try though.

Why is there no tough spot?

Candidate Rauner’s own response to the questionnaire tells me so.

I get it, Mr. Stewart, you are concerned Rauner’s hypocrisy is going to be shown, make Diana Rauner look foolish, I get it.

But, no votes like these two in your amateur hour question are ever binary. Only simple-minded lemmings that ate legislators think that way.

Thanks for letting us know who you really are.

===Now don’t think too hard because it really isn’t a trick question. And yes, it really is a “this or that” question===

This speaks volumes to your legislative ineptness.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 12:42 pm
Something on the right must have spooked Rauner into this - but I can’t figure out who or what. He couldn’t have been that afraid of Sam McCann primarying against him - and I don’t think there are any pro life multimillionaires itching to challenge him (Jack Roeser’s dead and he endorsed Rauner anyway). Hmm…

Comment by Grand Avenue Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 12:46 pm
Rauner signed bills expanding insurance coverage of contraception and requiring medical staff to inform patients where they can receive services if they refuse. IFI called him a traitor. Yet he still has conservative support.
GOP women are like to see the game being played here. They know Rauner can stand up to the right flank. And personal PAC didn’t endorse him the first time around. Good on him for calling a bluff.

Comment by ste_with_av_en Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 12:51 pm
What’s Rep. Stewart worried about? The governor says the big deal is almost done.

He believes that, doesn’t he?

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 12:52 pm
Geez, Louise…

Between Mr. Butler that get a quote or a fact straight when tripping over himself to praise Rauner… and Mr. Batinick, who thinks if he refuses to fingerpaint and put the Lincoln Logs back, someone will pay attention that he exists… and now Mr. Stewart that is most worried about hypocrisy and phoniness on display as the sole reason a budget then can be voted on too…

Are the HRaunerites the children in the room Rauner needs to derail the actual work of the adults?

Mr. Butler, Bruce likes you just as much as any career politician. Maybe more. Sleep well.

Mr. Batinick, if you don’t make the construction paper tulips, we’ll just have one fewer tulip for the Rauner Play.

Mr. Stewart, Rauner wrote what he wrote. Now the possible veto doesn’t preclude anything else getting done. Session won’t magically stop after that vote or possible veto.

Be adults.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 12:53 pm
“Rauner’s challenge is to say something like there’s something specific about the bill that is a problem.”

He did. Rauner said it was a matter of protecting taxpayers.

Comment by Cubs in '16 Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 12:55 pm
===Yet he still has conservative support.
GOP women are like to see the game being played here.===

Game? Rauner’s own hypocrisy to his answer on the questionnaire?

That’s for sure, Rauner played a game fooling women, with Diana Rauner’s help(?)

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 12:56 pm
The Sun-Times got it wrong. The words “Rauner” and “principles” do NOT belong in the same sentence.

Comment by Lt Guv Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 1:07 pm
It would be courageous of the Governor/TV Commercial Producer to also say support no public funding of erectile dysfunction products for men.

Comment by Mike Cirrincione Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 1:30 pm
- Grand Avenue -

Fear of a conservative third party candidate in the General?

- Anon414 -

That would be an interesting move for the Governor to make tomorrow…announce he’ll sign a “clean” bill to repeal the trigger law.

Comment by Roman Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 2:31 pm
Why isn’t this a budget issue? Taxpayer funded…sounds like a budget issue to me. More directly than term limits anyway.

Comment by The One Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 2:39 pm
To those who complain that the Governor is in constant campaign mode, I invite you to ask why Cullerton and Madigan are spending time on this fake issue.

Comment by Not It Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 3:14 pm
Fake issue? I’m guessing quite a few women see it as the exact opposite and would disagree.
Is it a political issue, most definitely! It has been since Roe v. Wade occurred. There is no other issue that’s get played out more in GOP primaries than Pro-life except for maybe the 2nd Amendment.
Notice how much all the Gov candidates are running to embrace this issue?
This is a political nightmare for Bruce 2018. It was difficult as Bruce 2014 but he said, and his wife said, he’d be for it. Now he’s not.
What polling shows he’s right?

Comment by DuPage Bard Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 4:00 pm
Rauner said it
I believe it
That settles it.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Apr 24, 17 @ 9:44 pm