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What a difference a few years make

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Illinois

* Quad City Times, October 26, 2014…

Bruce Rauner’s candidacy makes some Illinoisans nervous. The prospect of him in the governor’s mansion leaves some long-time Springfield power brokers absolutely apoplectic.

To which we reply: Good.

Illinois requires the kind of shake up Rauner promises. Reform the state’s awful, unfair education funding formulas. Slash the number of redundant local governments and departments. Revive redistricting reform trashed by House Speaker Michael Madigan. Cut spending. Raise some taxes.

It will be ugly, but no uglier than the cabal that has dragged Illinois deeper in debt and despair. The Democrat legislative stronghold led by Madigan has failed to not only deliver for Illinoisans. They’ve let down Democrats, beginning with Gov. Pat Quinn. […]

Rauner prevails as a promising alternative because of his focus on growth and education reform and an eagerness to initiate tough cuts and targeted revenue hikes needed to curb Illinois’ descent.

We give Pat Quinn our thanks for a lifetime of reforms that still couldn’t sway his own party’s bosses. We give Rauner our support to shake up Illinois and free the state from crony politics that stymied even the renowned reformer.

* Quad City Times, today…

“… I am not in charge. I’m trying to get to be in charge,” Rauner cracked, while listing a slew of legislative reforms he’s wanted since before taking office.

Just take that quote in for a second. What Rauner intended as a partisan shot at broken politics spearheaded by Madigan’s Democrats was, instead, an admission that he, a sitting governor, was a lame duck. […]

On Monday, Rauner admitted that he’s powerless in a state that needs reform as much as any other. Make no mistake, statements such as these will make their way into black-and-white Democratic television ads paid for by the likes of J.B. Pritzker for Governor.

Rauner took office in 2015 with plenty of promise. The new governor had, on many counts, correctly identified that which plagues Illinois. But, almost immediately, he took it too far. Full of hubris, he targeted unions from day one. He amassed a huge war chest and hung it like an ax over the heads of Republicans in the General Assembly. He played incessantly to rural parochialism and anti-Chicago sentiment.

The miscalculations have piled up and rendered Rauner completely ineffectual.

And, apparently, even Rauner himself seems to know it.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 11:41 am

Comments

Boom.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 11:45 am
===The miscalculations have piled up and rendered Rauner completely ineffectual.

And, apparently, even Rauner himself seems to know it.===

Pointed, pithy, powerful… and seemingly too true.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 11:46 am
That’s pretty good. Mike Madigan and the Bruce Rauner he controls.

Comment by Frank Grimes Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 11:47 am
That is suitable for printing, and reprinting.

Comment by 360 Degree TurnAround Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 11:49 am
This is even before voters will be reminded of those small budget bills that he vetoed - domestic violence prevention. Failed governor.

Comment by 360 Degree TurnAround Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 11:51 am
Here we go. When the editorial boards start turning on him en masse; I’m not sure who is left to carry water for him anymore.

Add in Ives pulling the Tea Party away from him and the prospect that his Democratic opponent may have more cash than him and he’s in a bad position. Throw in a retread campaign of “Because Madigan” and “Shakin’ Up Springfield” and he’s done for.

Oh well, he’ll have more time to ride that Harley.

Comment by illini97 Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 11:52 am
=Slash the number of redundant local governments and departments. Revive redistricting reform trashed by House Speaker Michael Madigan. Cut spending. Raise some taxes.=

I don’t recall the Governor ever supporting ANY of these actual reforms in his actions after he was elected. In fact, he has even opposed the cutting of spending and raising any taxes, which would have left the state measurably better off. What on earth happened?

Comment by Measurably Better Off Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 11:56 am
That’s gonna hurt.

Comment by Norseman Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 12:07 pm
Nice of them to admit the obvious two years too late, but I’d bet dollars to donuts their owners and managing editor will still come up with some reason for them to endorse Rauner over Kennedy/Pritzker/Biss next fall. Same for the other Illinois papers, other than the S-T (unless Ferro buys it again just in time)

Comment by Lester Holt’s Mustache Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 12:09 pm
Well, they didn’t ask him to resign so basically it’s an ‘Up Day’ for the Gov.

Comment by How Ironic Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 12:10 pm
What the QC Times Editorial Board wanted and what they got:

Reform the state’s awful, unfair education funding formulas. GOAL- but Andy Manar scored that one with bi-partisan hard work. Rauner just claimed the credit.

Slash the number of redundant local governments and departments. Handed Off and Dropped the Baton-To Evelyn. Hasn’t been able to starve them out yet.

Revive redistricting reform trashed by House Speaker Michael Madigan. TBD- Rauner’s planning to keep sittin’ on the sidelines because he’s not in charge, practicin’ clickin’ his heels while he waits for his “win” in the General so he can re-map in 2020.

Cut spending. GOAL- if you look at the social service and higher ed net destruction as cutting spending. FAIL-if you look at the massive bill backlog as a result of the impasse. He also spent a LOT on the SuperStar lineup because, well, they were/are SuperStars, do cha know.

Raise some taxes. GOAL- because of the hostage taking, Rauner did achieve raising taxes. Even property taxes are going up in parts of the state to repair the damage done because of his failure to budget.

Yep, Rauner is winnin’ .

Comment by Anon221 Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 12:12 pm
Each of these recent “turnarounds” by editorial boards is good news no matter how late their discovery.

It takes some of us a lot of time to admit we’re wrong when we’ve been so deeply invested in someone for three plus years.

Comment by don the legend Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 12:13 pm
The turn-around of the Editorial Boards is overdue and welcome, yet… does it really matter, in an era where 90 percent of voters only get their political intelligence from TV news blurbs, Tv ads, and radio ads, plus facebook mentions?
You saw Blago demonstrate that against Topinka (GRHS). You saw Rauner do it to Quinn. How are newspapers relevant in that environment?

Comment by Newsclown Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 12:32 pm
Excellent op-ed piece. Rauner has shown that his goal is to get Madigan, his allies and anyone who so much as opposed him out of power, and to bust up public employee unions, no matter what the cost to the state. Good leadership and tough politics are not mutually exclusive. Rauner could have still found ways to attack his opponents while governing with them.

That’s the trick in politics, I believe—to balance governance with politics. Rauner is clearly not interested in this and thrives in waging war.

Comment by Grandson of Man Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 12:37 pm
People generally say Ives has no chance in the primary, but if this kind of thing keeps up, why not? You could see Rauner imploding.

Comment by DarkHorse Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 12:38 pm
===You saw Rauner do it to Quinn. How are newspapers relevant in that environment? ===

Rauner got almost every newspaper endorsement in 2014, and he used that in his TV ads. Endorsements matter most when they’re used in TV ads.

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 12:44 pm
Rauner is a whirling dervish.
During the 2014 election, he demonized Madigan and Cullerton along with Quinn.
Then, after winning election, he falsely said he placed a call to Cullerton and Madigan with a pledge to cooperate. His pledge was as phony as his phone call.
Both Madigan and Cullerton pledged cooperation. Then, Rauner began an attack campaign against them ghat hasn’t let up.
Now, he is a victim. Should he win re-election, we would see him extend a faux olive branch, only to pull it back.
Rauner is a whirling dervish.

Comment by Winnin’ Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 12:47 pm
Bruce will know it’s over when he and the missus go to their elitist parties and begin to see people are showing them their back. That will be more crushing than anything else. Tut-tut.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 12:58 pm
==You saw Rauner do it to Quinn.==

Rauner got a lot of mileage out of all but sweeping the EB endorsements in ‘14.

Comment by Arsenal Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 1:01 pm
Whelp, it is still early, but that’s gonna leave a mark.

Comment by Juvenal Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 1:04 pm
I guess the fairy tale is over and the King realized that in fact he “has no clothes!!”

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 1:24 pm
I still don’t think Quad City Times “gets it”
This might be useful in understand why.
Just War Theory that I learned in 4 grad classes from
Jean Bethke Elshtain
For the political war Rauner proposed waging
It could be argued that he met Jus ad Bellum criteria
Proper authority. Yes
Just Cause. Yes
Probability of success. Yes (maybe)
Proportionality. Yes (iffy)
Last Resort. Yes

But what immediately became apparent with the Turnaround agenda
Was major violations in
Jus in Bello - just means of prosecuting
Distinction. No- Rauner did not distinguish between combatants and innocents.
Proportionality. No- horrific indiscriminate destruction to vital services and functions, starving of resources and inactivity
Political (instead of military) necessity No- never even sought 60/30, no compromise and blowing up deals
Fair Treatment of Prisoners- Lol no -not even his own side, Rodogno, McCann, etc
No Malum in se- here’s the biggest violations
Use of uncontrollable weapons- yes economic warfare of impasse
Making opponents fight their own side- yes
Targeting of innocents- yes plus hostage taking
And my beloved word

Perfidy- Rauner lies to gain unfair advantage
Every single day. He deceives and obfuscates
“compassionate and competitive” was his slogan
When have we ever seen compassion from him?

So no……Quad cities……Rauner did not “miscalculate”
And he was devastatingly effective at doing exactly what he intended to do from the beginning.
But “because Perfidy” (my words)
We could not have know that the political
Jus ad bellum - Just War
Of Republicans against Madigan
Would be turned into
A total and utter violation of
Jus in bello-Just Means
That is why Rauner must go
That is why republicans must abandon him
Or any one who proscecutes politics unjustly
Quad City Times should rebuke Rauners means
Of prosecuting what was arguably a just political position

I also welcome Just War analysis of Madigan and the Dems.

Comment by Honeybear Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 1:27 pm
“Slash the number of redundant local governments and departments.” and in the meantime created his new Department of Boongles, a.a.k. DoIT.

Comment by Skeptic Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 1:42 pm
Did they focus group that Re-elect Gov. Impotent theme before rollin’ it out? I kind of doubt it.

True weirdness.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 2:27 pm
=== Did they focus group that Re-elect Gov. Impotent theme before rollin’ it out? ===

I guess the Sgt. Schultz routine was ruled out.

Comment by Norseman Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 4:02 pm