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Today’s quotable

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Illinois

* I’ve been using this line in speeches for over a year and it always gets a big reaction…

The people following state politics and government the closest read the Capitol Fax web site, and the people at the City Club heard from the man behind that one-man operation Monday.

Rich Miller knows not to make predictions, but he has seen enough Illinois government and politics to say this:

“(Gov. Bruce) Rauner or whomever the Democrat is will be left with another mess,” Miller said before raising his voice. “We really suck at this governing thing in Illinois!”

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Dec 19, 17 @ 9:38 am

Comments

The thing is, Rauner sucks by design. That’s his plan in action.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Dec 19, 17 @ 9:41 am
Miller: “We really suck at this governing thing in Illinois!”

Kent Brockman: “I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Democracy simply doesn’t work.”

– MrJM

Comment by @misterjayem Tuesday, Dec 19, 17 @ 9:43 am
That was a mic drop moment. Always is.

Comment by A guy Tuesday, Dec 19, 17 @ 9:47 am
JB Pritzker: He can’t do any worse

Comment by Fax Machine Tuesday, Dec 19, 17 @ 9:52 am
So whoever gets elected, it won’t be their fault. Rich Miller said so!

Comment by RNUG Tuesday, Dec 19, 17 @ 9:58 am
Statesmen? Public servants with public good at the forefront at top levels? Where, oh where have they gone? Has ILlinois ever had any of these?

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Dec 19, 17 @ 9:59 am
Eleven straight years of governors who’ve been either incapable or uninterested in operating the machinery of government will do that to you.

Comment by Roman Tuesday, Dec 19, 17 @ 10:00 am
Let’s all remember the immortal words of Ms. Barabara Wheeler, a member of the General Assembly who took it upon herself to explain how it felt when bipartisan members who knew having no budget was bad for Illinois and override Rauner’s vetoes…

===But Barb Wheeler, who’s also walking away, says those Republican defectors — like [Rep. Mike Fortner, who voted for the budget and tax hikes] — wiped out Rauner’s leverage.

“That’s why I felt that strong betrayal. We were so close to getting real compromise in a budget that was so desperately needed. And our own members had cut that conversation short,” she said===

It’s really all you need to know about Ms. Wheeler and why we here in Illinois $&@# at governing.

Ms. Wheeler felt a betrayal, but felt nothing it seems for those counting on her and a budget.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Dec 19, 17 @ 10:00 am
==JB Pritzker: He can’t do any worse==

Oscar would do much better.

Comment by Lt Guv Tuesday, Dec 19, 17 @ 10:01 am
To follow up on my above comment, maybe before running for a top position, candidates should have to attend classes that deal with clarifying their function in that position. Then, perhaps a license following an exam that rigourously explores their motives. Follow up on that with legal consequences of violation of the principles taught and tested. While some might think that’s crazy, don’t we do that with other professions? Maybe instead of politicians tightening up on the worker bees, the worker bees should demand legal accountability and competence in politics!

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Dec 19, 17 @ 10:03 am
Yeah right OW, the wreckage of 40 years of Mike Madigan has nothing to do with why Illinois $%^%$# at governing.

Keep telling yourself everything went south less that 3 years ago.

Comment by Lucky Pierre Tuesday, Dec 19, 17 @ 10:06 am
Roman- your math is off. 15 years. 2003-2018

Comment by Sue Tuesday, Dec 19, 17 @ 10:08 am
Decades of ineffective governing, yet one person remains throughout.

Maybe governing in Illinois is an impossibility at this present time, eh?

Comment by SmartiePants Tuesday, Dec 19, 17 @ 10:09 am
Remember when all the posters here used to rip Madigan in an attempt to seem bipartisan? Wonder if that trend will return after Rauner.

Comment by Robert the 1st Tuesday, Dec 19, 17 @ 10:12 am
A few other predictions for 2018:
The Bears will not win the Super Bowl
Rauner will still not be in charge
Mike Madigan will still be Speaker of the House
JB will still be a billionaire
The state government will suck less at governing.

Comment by Angry Republican Tuesday, Dec 19, 17 @ 10:14 am
Robert - Everything is relative. MJM may not be any better than he was 4 years ago, but compared to Rauner?

Just like how people’s views of George W. Bush have improved lately.

Comment by Henry Francis Tuesday, Dec 19, 17 @ 10:18 am
Since we don’t often get a chance to cross examine the speaker of the quote of the day…Rich, do you think we can’t govern because of conceptual issues (i.e. bad bills being passed), or execution issues (i.e. bad governance/ineffective state agencies)? A bit of both, or more one or the other, or something else entirely?

Comment by Swift Tuesday, Dec 19, 17 @ 10:21 am
–2003-2018–

Sue, you realize that it’s still 2017? You didn’t miss it.

Party on.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Dec 19, 17 @ 10:25 am
===Keep telling yourself everything went south less that 3 years ago.===

BAIER: So what would be different in a second term?

Rauner, “I’m not in charge”

LOL

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Dec 19, 17 @ 10:29 am
===Wonder if that trend will return after Rauner.===

Don’t bet on it. Madigan’s never done anything wrong.

Comment by People Over Parties Tuesday, Dec 19, 17 @ 10:33 am
===Madigan’s never done anything wrong.===

Really? Who said that?

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Dec 19, 17 @ 10:36 am
==Statesmen? Public servants with public good at the forefront at top levels? Where, oh where have they gone? Has ILlinois ever had any of these?==

Sleep softly . . . eagle forgotten . . . under the stone,
Time has its way with you there and the clay has its own.
Sleep on, O brave-hearted, O wise man that kindled the flame—
To live in mankind is far more than to live in a name,
To live in mankind, far, far more . . . than to live in a name.

Comment by IllinoisBoi Tuesday, Dec 19, 17 @ 11:02 am
Hey Rich, in the cartoon, is that dirt from the bottom of the Capitol Building or do I need Santa to bring you a bottle of Head and Shoulders for your stocking?

/s/

Comment by Tommydanger Tuesday, Dec 19, 17 @ 12:22 pm
“JB Pritzker: He can’t do any worse”

Didn’t Rauner use that in 2014 against Quinn?

Comment by a drop in Tuesday, Dec 19, 17 @ 12:39 pm
==“We really suck at this governing thing in Illinois!”==

Just over the past 20 years.

Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Dec 19, 17 @ 1:23 pm
Boy oh boy is this ever true, Illinois is lousy at governing. 30 plus years of running state programs in the non-profit sector has taught me that neither party is committed to improving Illinois. They are just focused on improving themselves.

Comment by NeverPoliticallyCorrect Tuesday, Dec 19, 17 @ 1:59 pm