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* From the Pritzker campaign…
Follow the Leader: Crisis Creatin’ Rauner Gains New Recruits in the State Legislature
Republican Rep. Admits “We Have To Create A Crisis”
Chicago, IL — Bruce Rauner’s fixation on creating crisis in Illinois is gaining support among members of his own party. On Monday, an NPR Illinois report quoted a Republican member of the state legislature as saying:
“We have to create a crisis. And it is going to be a crisis. I don’t want the schools not to open. But we’ve tried everything else.”
The staggering admission is nearly a direct echo of Rauner’s now infamous “crisis creates opportunity.”
It comes 706 days into a budget impasse where the cost of their “crisis” has become all too clear. Working families are suffering so Bruce Rauner can create the “opportunity” to force a special interest agenda that the people of Illinois continue to reject.
“While schools are being starved for funding and social service agencies are closing left and right, Bruce Rauner remains committed to forcing his agenda on Illinois through a crisis of his own creating,” said Pritzker campaign spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh. “Instead of standing up to their failed leader, Republicans are letting Rauner continue to drive this state into the ground. Illinois must reject Rauner’s failed leadership and hold him accountable to pass a budget for our state.”
Um, first of all, the quote is by Rep. Bob Pritchard, a Republican from Hinckley. Pritchard is more independent than most House Republicans and actually likes the Democrats’ school funding reform bill that Rauner opposes.
Secondly, the governor has gone out of his way to avoid any K-12 shutdown. As I explained in my syndicated newspaper column, the “crisis” has to be contained to stuff people don’t hugely care about, like universities, bond ratings and the poor. If it spreads to K-12 schools, people are gonna freak and Rauner knows it. He won’t be able to continue the impasse if this happens.
Thirdly, by Pritzker’s own logic, liberal, pro-union state Sen. Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) is a Rauner “recruit” who wants to help the governor create a massive crisis…
No funding for local school district by the end of the summer might finally be enough to bring an end to a state budget impasse entering its third year, a local lawmaker suggested Friday.
“I think that’s the pressure point,” state Sen. Dave Koehler said during a news conference at his Labor Temple office. “… I think that if it takes closing the schools down in September to get this crisis resolved, then that’s what it takes.”
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jun 6, 17 @ 10:47 am
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The staggering admission is nearly a direct echo of Rauner’s now infamous “crisis creates opportunity.”
Careful what you wish for!
I say give Rauner what he wants (a K12 crisis)!
Comment by WhoKnew Tuesday, Jun 6, 17 @ 11:00 am
If I were a General Assembly member who wanted to leverage the threat of schools not opening to finally get a budget, I’d keep that strategy to myself.
Comment by Roman Tuesday, Jun 6, 17 @ 11:05 am
Not to diminish the legislative considerations, which are legit and important, but this is good electoral politics. Remind people of the “Rauner-created crisis” theme and wrong-foot the Republicans as K-12 funding becomes an issue. Pritchard, like Koehler before him, shouldn’t have given voice to this thought.
Comment by Arsenal Tuesday, Jun 6, 17 @ 11:08 am
RICH
Whats wrong with Pritzker disagreeing with Koehler.
It doesn’t change the fact that Rauner has created a crisis of his own making.
Comment by MOON Tuesday, Jun 6, 17 @ 11:10 am
What if nobody blinks?
SOME schools (perhaps very few, perhaps none) would immediately close.
Almost all schools would open, using the large balances some schools have, others borrowing money in various ways, etc.
It may be a very slow moving crisis.
Comment by winners and losers Tuesday, Jun 6, 17 @ 11:11 am
Who “owns” the crisis is starting sound like the Toddler’s Creed…
http://www.famlii.com/toddler-rules-of-possession-toddlers-creed/
Comment by Anon221 Tuesday, Jun 6, 17 @ 11:12 am
41 years and 31 of the last Republican
Comment by Red Rider Tuesday, Jun 6, 17 @ 11:14 am
I agree with Koehler 100 percent on not funding schools. It’s tough medicine that the state needs to take.
Pritzker is twisting things here, but that’s what candidates do.
Comment by doggonit Tuesday, Jun 6, 17 @ 11:29 am
Any lawyers know whether some schools opening in the state and others staying closed would trigger a lawsuit?
Isn’t it unconstitutional to offer public education to some (haves) and not to others (have nots)?
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jun 6, 17 @ 11:42 am
New thing I learned…
Pritzker’s Crew, with ALL that Rauner has, and I mean ALL… they lack the ability early to get the low hanging fruit and… seem a clear lacking of the players, how they fit in a puzzle, and how when aiming, a clear idea how to hit the target.
To the Twitter,
I find that handle fascinating.
Makes me wonder aloud, “Who is having that Twitter?”
Is it interns, a paid staffer, a Crew member, a group of people…
Lots of questions I have.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jun 6, 17 @ 11:42 am
Anon at 11:42 was moi. Sorry….
Comment by Blue Bayou Tuesday, Jun 6, 17 @ 11:42 am
==Isn’t it unconstitutional to offer public education to some (haves) and not to others (have nots)==
Maybe, but the State would be providing ZERO money to each and every school.
And it would take months to get a final Court decision.
Comment by winners and losers Tuesday, Jun 6, 17 @ 11:59 am
Pritchard …independent.
We love it when Capt fax attempts to inject mirth into our otherwise dark, depressing lives.
Let’s dial up the NIU fiscal office to see how many Pritchard dollars they got to spend.
Comment by Annonin' Tuesday, Jun 6, 17 @ 12:30 pm
Weak effort to deflect the wiretaps, J.B.
Comment by Say What? Tuesday, Jun 6, 17 @ 12:32 pm
He can’t get out of his own way. Bob Pritchard is one of the best GOP Reps. Schools supt’s actually applauded his statement yesterday.
Hopefully that 150 million and union endorsements JB has will make up for all of this baggage and twitter nonsense. I don’t think it will. I am staunch Dem and I believe he loses by more votes to Rauner than Quinn did.
Comment by Hit Em With the Hein Tuesday, Jun 6, 17 @ 12:48 pm
Aint gonna happen. No high school football means no free farm teams for semi-pro (college) and pro (often referred to as a cartel) organizations. There isnt a politician alive that can withstand that pressure.
Comment by Blue dog dem Tuesday, Jun 6, 17 @ 2:48 pm
Maybe it would be worth hearing from younger parents with children in those schools whose work schedules and lives, very much take into account that their children will be in school, and not in any danger, and not in a supplemental daycare situation they can’t access or afford at that time.
That’s a large bloc of people and voters who may not be represented proportionally here on CF.
Comment by A guy Tuesday, Jun 6, 17 @ 3:11 pm