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* UPDATED x1 * Governor wasn’t aware that US Senate had passed a tax bill

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* Yesterday just wasn’t a good day for Gov. Rauner. He’s had a lot of those lately…

Gov. Bruce Rauner says the Republican attempt to overhaul the federal tax code “has a ways to go,” but it might not have as far to go as he thinks.

“I think they’re not there,” Rauner said during a question-and-answer session with reporters Monday. “I think there’s a lot of wood to chop on the tax policy reform, and I hope they get it done in a good way.”

The governor, however, was a few days behind on his news. Over a packed weekend welcoming Illinois National Guard troops home from Puerto Rico, riding his Harley in a Toys for Tots motorcycle run and attending the Illinois Bicentennial bash at Navy Pier, Rauner might have missed that Republican senators had voted for a sweeping tax bill early Saturday morning.

“First of all, the Senate hasn’t passed anything,” Rauner said on Monday when asked to explain what he thought Congress needed to do to get the tax code right. “And what the Senate is talking about is very different than what the House is working on. They have a long, long way to go.”

Indeed, distance remains between the House and Senate tax bills. But Senate Republicans’ approval of their own version was a big step forward and a sign they are willing to approve a tax overhaul even if it adds to the deficit.

Weird.

*** UPDATE *** DGA…

Governor Bruce Rauner has completely abdicated his responsibilities towards Illinois families on federal matters. From health care to tax reform, Rauner has either been complicity silent or openly supportive of President Trump’s policies. Last week, Rauner expressed support for Congress’ tax bill overhaul while acknowledging it did not help the middle-class. Rauner also would not elaborate on what he would change in the bill as he did not like to “negotiate through the media.”

Well, Rauner now has the perfect someone to negotiate with. Last night, the U.S. House Speaker’s office announced that Illinois Republican Congressmen Peter Roskam and John Shimkus named to the “committee to negotiate the differences between the House and Senate tax overhaul bills.” Roskam and Shimkus are two of only nine Republican House members on the committee, giving them, and Rauner, a great deal of influence in the final bill.

Will Rauner keep shirking from his responsibilities? Or will he call up his fellow Illinois Republicans?

“Illinois taxpayers need a fighter but Bruce Rauner won’t answer the call,” said DGA Illinois Communications Director Sam Salustro. “Many Illinois middle-class households will see their taxes rise to pay for cuts for the wealthy and Bruce Rauner has cheered Congress on. Time and again, Rauner has failed the people of Illinois and refused to protect them from President Trump’s policies, including this middle-class tax hike. Rauner’s failure to show leadership is exactly why he’s was named the worst governor by his own party.”

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Dec 5, 17 @ 9:37 am

Comments

Well, didn’t he once say he was “focused like a laser” on Illinois? If so, it is easy to miss events in D.C. / s

Comment by G'Kar Tuesday, Dec 5, 17 @ 9:40 am
btia

Comment by Not Again Tuesday, Dec 5, 17 @ 9:40 am
So, so many things about this governor are weird.

Comment by Flynn's mom Tuesday, Dec 5, 17 @ 9:41 am
Tony Curtis starring in ‘The Great Imposter’

Comment by jimk849 Tuesday, Dec 5, 17 @ 9:45 am
Whoever is driving him needs to tune the radio to News Radio 78.

How you could miss this vote is eerie.

Comment by A guy Tuesday, Dec 5, 17 @ 9:45 am
That’s why he avoids commenting on Trump. He doesn’t realize he was elected president.

Comment by Montrose Tuesday, Dec 5, 17 @ 9:45 am
It’s usually revealing when Rauner is pushed off-script. Not a lot of depth.

The old Superstars were pretty good at hiding that. BTIA(TM), not at all, as they had the same problem.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Dec 5, 17 @ 9:47 am
Dude? Are you kidding? Worst Republican Governor in America, you don’t even know the Senate passed a bill on tax code. This should help you lose that title sn/
This is just getting absolutely ridiculous.

Comment by DuPage Bard Tuesday, Dec 5, 17 @ 9:50 am
Madigan denied Rauner knowledge of the tax bill because Madigan controls Rauner.

Comment by Anon Tuesday, Dec 5, 17 @ 9:51 am
I wonder what life is like in Rauner World. I guess you only have to keep up about one day a week, blame an Irish guy, and make silly remarks about things you know nothing about. I think that about covers the Governor. Really weak rhetoric, from a very clueless man.

Comment by Retired Educator Tuesday, Dec 5, 17 @ 9:55 am
“First of all, the Senate hasn’t passed anything,” Rauner. “… They have a long, long way to go.”

No, no they don’t, and his “leadership” on this is abysmal. The GOP is going to try and ram this through just as fast as they can to get Trump’s signature on it before the end of the year. The impacts on Illinois are going to be tremendous, and not in a good way. Rauner’s purposeful blindness to this all just shows how “not in charge” he has chosen to be.

https://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward-room/what-the-gop-tax-bill-means-for-illinois-residents-461558943.html

Comment by Anon221 Tuesday, Dec 5, 17 @ 9:56 am
How does a politican these days get “a few days behind” on his news?

He’s got a phone, right? He gets news alerts on his phone? I mean, good god, I can’t go five minutes without an alert from a newspaper or news site on my phone.

Is he really that out of touch? Or is it some gee-ghiz-Gomer-Pyle game?

Comment by Macbeth Tuesday, Dec 5, 17 @ 9:56 am
The Governor isn’t aware of the passage of a tax bill (4 days later)that affects all 13 million of his constituents in profound ways? Way to stay in touch, dude. Is there anyone else that wasn’t aware of this development? Sheesh.

Comment by toothlesstiger Tuesday, Dec 5, 17 @ 9:58 am
Rauner just gave himself a new nickname - BubbleBoy or BubbleGov or just Governor Bubble. Seriously, how could he possibly have missed the story that led the news since Friday night.

Comment by Chicago Cynic Tuesday, Dec 5, 17 @ 10:03 am
So yesterday it was “I’m not in charge” and today it’s “I don’t pay attention”? Nice bookends.

Comment by Pundent Tuesday, Dec 5, 17 @ 10:08 am
Look, once you declare that you’re not in charge, you have the burden of proving it.

Mission accomplished.

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Tuesday, Dec 5, 17 @ 10:10 am
When you lie so freely and frequently you tend to become untethered to the real world. I think we are seeing that more and more with the Guv.

Comment by Henry Francis Tuesday, Dec 5, 17 @ 10:11 am
Given his lack of knowledge it’s a good thing he is not in charge.

Comment by Union Dues Tuesday, Dec 5, 17 @ 10:11 am
When Madigan’s in your head, there isn’t a lot of room for news.

Comment by Streator Curmudgeon Tuesday, Dec 5, 17 @ 10:12 am
It sounds like the governor is in a political fetal position right now.

Comment by 360 Degree TurnAround Tuesday, Dec 5, 17 @ 10:13 am
The original BTIA shouldn’t be given kudos for hiding the truth of this perfidious phony. Yeah, they did their job, but look where it got them… and him. A few more years of lies covered up.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Dec 5, 17 @ 10:14 am
If Rauner doesn’t know what’s going on in DC, what’s this guy doing?

https://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward-room/Rauner-Names-New-Lead-for-DC-Team-438623933.html

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Tuesday, Dec 5, 17 @ 10:20 am
Madigan has successfully hacked all of Rauner’s information sources to ensure Rauner sounds ignorant about current events.

Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Dec 5, 17 @ 10:21 am
To be fair, it’s been three years and he apparently still isn’t aware that he has line-item veto power to cut all this “wasteful spending” he was complaining about to the farm bureau crowd yesterday.

Comment by Lester Holt’s Mustache Tuesday, Dec 5, 17 @ 10:22 am
Woah. I try to remember that elected officials are humans, and that humans are allowed to make mistakes. But this doesn’t seem like a mistake. To have missed the tax bill moving through the senate requires a dedication to willful ignorance.

Comment by Emily Miller Tuesday, Dec 5, 17 @ 10:27 am
Michelle, that guy was presumably hired to help further the Guv’s relationship with the Koch boys’.

Comment by Henry Francis Tuesday, Dec 5, 17 @ 10:30 am
Mike Madigan and the Congress he controls? This is going to be a loooooong 11 months, isn’t it?

Comment by Northsider Tuesday, Dec 5, 17 @ 10:40 am
Amazing… he touts whatever made up “accomplishments” he has then blames others for his failures.

Also unaware of what his own party did in Washington, which many consider very good tax cut and reform.

Well, Bruce, at least Jeanne Ives is aware of what the party has accomplished in Washington.

Comment by low level Tuesday, Dec 5, 17 @ 10:44 am
Rich, you pointed this out in 2015- “I’ve had a couple of long discussions with Rauner over the past several months. They were off the record, so I can’t go into detail. But this is clear to me: Even if he isn’t telling the whole truth about avoiding news coverage, he lives in a very tight bubble and he prefers it that way. And while I most certainly think he is an otherwise smart and capable man, I occasionally have found what he doesn’t know to be somewhat appalling.”

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20150418/ISSUE11/304189992/bruce-rauner-is-no-info-junkie-and-it-shows

Comment by Anon221 Tuesday, Dec 5, 17 @ 10:46 am
==which many consider very good tax cut and reform==

25% whole percent of the country.

Comment by Arsenal Tuesday, Dec 5, 17 @ 10:48 am
How in the world did he make so much in Private Equity

Comment by Not a Billionaire Tuesday, Dec 5, 17 @ 11:04 am
Anyone who cares the slightest checks the news at least twice a day under the Trump administration, once in the morning and once in the evening.

Comment by Lil Squeezy Tuesday, Dec 5, 17 @ 11:21 am
“Every human being has to be born ignorant and, for a time, live in ignorance. But if he remains ignorant that is his own fault. The fight against ignorance waged by everyone during his or her lifetime must be an individual, personal thing.” — Earl Nightingale (1921–1989)

– MrJM

Comment by @MisterJayEm Tuesday, Dec 5, 17 @ 11:25 am
There’s a big difference to being ill-informed or not being current on events.

Rauner is neither.

Here’s exactly what this is;

This is Rauner in denial because Rauner knows… all these GOP things will be wed to him, and just ignoring what IS happening is how he (Rauner) seems to be coping.

It’s not working well, as two days unhinged isn’t a great look for an incumbent.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Dec 5, 17 @ 11:42 am
“I’m not going to comment on the details of the Civil War while it is still be waged.” #RaunerDidntKnow

“It’s not for me to say whether President Nixon should resign.” #RaunerDidntKnow

“Look, I am not going debate in public the details of the Civil Rights Act while it is still being negotiated by Congress.” #RaunerDidntKnow

Comment by Montrose Tuesday, Dec 5, 17 @ 11:51 am
Whoever is driving him needs to tune the radio to News Radio 78.

“I am not in charge of the radio — I’m trying to get to be in charge of the radio.”

– MrJM

Comment by @MisterJayEm Tuesday, Dec 5, 17 @ 12:01 pm
If Bruce Rauner, non-CEO, Private citizen wants to live in a bubble and avoid news- that’s his business and his loss.
If Bruce Rauner, CEO, Private citizen wants to live that way, it’s his company’s and his employees loss.
If Bruce Rauner, Gov. lives that way, it’s 13 million people’s loss.

Comment by Thoughts Matter Tuesday, Dec 5, 17 @ 12:10 pm
Spendin’ $100,000,000 to be governor - easy
Keepin’ loyalist happy in the legislature - tricky
Buyin’ off county organizations - doable
Higherin’ competent staff so you don’t look like a moron - priceless

Comment by Been there, done that Tuesday, Dec 5, 17 @ 12:28 pm
The Kochs must have botched the system update last time they serviced the governor at one of their billionaire retreats.

Comment by Moderate Condor Tuesday, Dec 5, 17 @ 12:36 pm
Did anyone tell him the Cubs won the World Series last year?

Comment by 47th Ward Tuesday, Dec 5, 17 @ 1:17 pm
47, there’s a Cubs pin on Costume #11, Biker Vest (generally used only with Vehicle #3, Harley-Davidson Motorcycle, Dirty.)

That doesn’t mean he’s in charge of that knowledge.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Tuesday, Dec 5, 17 @ 1:44 pm
Lord, am I getting tired of listening to J. B. and the others claiming Rauner has a working relationship with Trump. It is a total falsehood. It is more accurate to say that the Dem candidates are recycling DNC talking points.

Comment by No Mas! Tuesday, Dec 5, 17 @ 2:07 pm
@MisterJayEm, that last comment was gold. Thought you should know.

Comment by Concerned Observer Tuesday, Dec 5, 17 @ 6:25 pm
He just confirmed he lives in his own bubble

Comment by Rabid Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 8:21 am