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Mrs. Rauner may have saved education funding reform

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Illinois

* The latest Diana Rauner e-mail obtained by the Edgar County Watchdogs was sent by the First Lady at 3:50:55 AM on August 3, 2017.

That would be just a few days after Rauner used his amendatory veto powers to rewrite the education funding reform bill. Mrs. Rauner sent the e-mail from her personal account to private e-mail accounts of Mark Harris at ColdSpark Media, Gov. Rauner’s chief of staff Kristina Rasmussen, Rauner’s Deputy Chief of Staff of Communications Diana Sroka Rickert and the ILGOP’s Kayleen Carlson…

Reframing Bruce thru the ed fight

If, as Mark says the polling reveals that voters want someone to stand up to Madigan yet view Bruce as unwilling to compromise, let’s use this fight and it’s inevitable conclusion to demonstrate how Bruce has raised hard and important issues for the state, worked collaboratively to try to address them, and compromised repeatedly, only to have Madigan run down the clock, walk away and do a power play. As this is unfolding in real time we need to use this to rewrite the narrative of the past two and a half years. Bruce takes on real state challenges that the Ds never did during their reign, convenes bipartisan working groups, negotiates in good faith, Ds run down the clock until there’s a crisis and then pull out of negotiations and run their own agenda, which is to do nothing and protect the status quo.

The ECW’s angle is to show Mrs. Rauner’s influence on Gov. Rauner and his struggle to get an education funding reform deal.

* But I’m more interested in the logic she was using. The “voters want someone to stand up to Madigan yet view Bruce as unwilling to compromise.”

Ten days after Mrs. Rauner sent that e-mail, the Senate overrode Gov. Rauner’s AV. The next day, the governor said this…

“Any element of my amendatory veto, I’m open to changing. Let’s compromise. Let’s find a solution. Let’s do it together. Let’s do what’s fair for our kids, especially our low-income kids, so they’re all treated the same.”

* Several days after that statement, I wrote a column about Rauner…

But even if the negotiations among the four legislative leaders do produce some progress, some folks are still doubtful that Gov. Rauner can bring himself to sign the bill, or that his new staff can get him to stick to his word. […]

So, there’s naturally some informed doubt that the governor will be able to bring himself to sign something as big and important as an education funding reform bill. The governor publicly denied last week that the First Lady has become more involved in his administration, but by all accounts she most certainly has and she now may be the only hope of keeping him on track.

* As you’ll recall, they did eventually work out a deal. But then the very next day Gov. Rauner said this…

“The bad news is, Speaker Madigan’s caucus took the bill and inserted a bunch of bad things in it,” Rauner said. “We’re trying to get out as many of those as we can. They’re trying to divert a lot of the money that should be coming to southern Illinois and central Illinois and divert it to the broken financial condition of Chicago. So, we’ve been battling that and it’s not been easy.” […]

“It’s not fair but it’s going to end up being a compromise,” Rauner said. “It’s not where we’d like it to be and what I’ll try to do is fix the problems with it in subsequent legislation.”

He eventually signed the bill. If it took Mrs. Rauner getting heavily involved and formulating a strategy, so be it. Somebody had to do it. And we’re likely better off for it.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 9:12 am

Comments

They are getting good polling if it is telling them most Illinois voters want someone to stand up to Madigan but believe Bruce Rauner is unwilling to compromise.

Most voters want both Madigan and Rauner to go away but both power-hungry egomaniacs refuse to get the hint.

Comment by hisgirlfriday Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 9:20 am
Perhaps Mrs Rauner should run for Governor. Would that be as a Democrat or Republican?

Comment by Barrington Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 9:23 am
Saved it by caving to Democratic demands and giving Chicago and Emanuel “everything he wanted and more”? Sure.

Also one more strike against Bruce with Republican voters. So she saved a bad bill and contributed to the demise of her husband.

Comment by Political Animal Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 9:26 am
Mr. “I’m not in charge”

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 9:27 am
Glad to see I’m not the only one who has great ideas at 3:50 a.m.

Comment by Signal and Noise Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 9:28 am
Im tired of the economy of this state. I dont even know who to vote for anytmore

Comment by adam Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 9:28 am
–Mrs. Rauner sent the e-mail to Mark Harris at ColdSpark Media, Gov. Rauner’s chief of staff Kristina Rasmussen, Rauner’s Deputy Chief of Staff of Communications Diana Sroka Rickert and the ILGOP’s Kayleen Carlson…–

If I recall, Rauner thought he only needed a simple majority to uphold his amendatory veto. When his strategy based on that incorrect assumption blew up, the scholarship program for the Catholic schools was his face-saving out.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 9:29 am
Perhaps somebody can tell us where we’ll get the additional $350 million per year for ten years that’s in the bill.

Comment by Driveby Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 9:29 am
Diana Rauner is a Raunerite, not a Democrat.

Read her words. It’s about Raunerism and taking on Dems, as a phony Dem. Diana is as phony a Dem as Bruce is as phony as a Republican.

They are consumed about how they can fool as many people as possible, and the ideology that is Raunerism.

“Example?”

===As this is unfolding in real time we need to use this to rewrite the narrative of the past two and a half years. Bruce takes on real state challenges that the Ds never did during their reign, convenes bipartisan working groups, negotiates in good faith, Ds run down the clock until there’s a crisis and then pull out of negotiations and run their own agenda, which is to do nothing and protect the status quo.===

… yet Diana forgets that Bruce holding a state hostage was acceptable to Diana, as long as the Pritzker family and their foundations keep The Ounce afloat.

The reason people have that negative perception about Bruce…

… cause it’s true.

That’s how I know it’s about perception.

Diana needed an education deal. The question now is, was it driven for a need of better funding, or better polling?

Diana makes clear. Perception of a phony narrative that Bruce wants compromise is important to polling, and if schools get their funding… that’s a bonus?

Yikes.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 9:33 am
The part I find interesting is that the outcome was inevitable but that the amndmentatory process was about rebranding more than policy. Every governor serves both political and policy goals, but this peek at sausage making shows that the gov indeed moves the goalposts for the purpose of his compromiser/victim of Madigan rebrand.

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 9:35 am
cut taxes now

Comment by zac Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 9:36 am
“Bruce takes on real state challenges that the Ds never did during their reign, convenes bipartisan working groups, negotiates in good faith, Ds run down the clock until there’s a crisis and then pull out of negotiations and run their own agenda, which is to do nothing and protect the status quo.”

This is without a doubt the most succinct summation of the past 3 years, who can dispute that is exactly what has happened.

Democrats are running on the status quo as they have blocked virtually everything.

Rauner is running on change and lowering the tax burden on working families.

Comment by Lucky Pierre Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 9:42 am
This confirms OW, we elected Diane.

Comment by Rutro Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 9:43 am
The Rauner Derangement Syndrome is a mud so thick inside Oswego Willy’s head that he sees what is stand operating procedure as some vast conspiracy to subvert Democracy.

“Diana needed an education deal”? Dude, the State did. Take the tinfoil off and get real.

Comment by Jack Kemp Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 9:48 am
If Bruce and Diana didn’t get an ed deal, schools would have closed and he would have worn the jacket. She said, it was an “inevitable conclusion”…too risky to not have a deal to keep schools open.

Comment by Truckin' On Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 9:53 am
===“Diana needed an education deal”? Dude, the State did. Take the tinfoil off and get real.===

… and yet it’s the polling Diana is consumed with, not the schools or their funding.

Keep up.

“Lucky Pierre”, lol

Ya forgot…

===…rewrite the narrative…===

The only thing you rewrite is when the truth doesn’t fit your want of the story, as Diana Rauner lays out.

===we elected Diane.===

We were told Bruce had no social agenda… Diana?… lol

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 9:56 am
==Rauner is running on change and lowering the tax burden on working families.==

Nice try but he was publicly fine with a tax increase, as long as he got 4 items from his 44 point agenda, and his FY19 budget proposal relies on the new revenue.

Comment by Political Animal Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 9:57 am
How many people would it take to regularly intervene to save us from this joke of a “governor”?

Comment by El Conquistador Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 9:58 am
===we need to use this to rewrite the narrative of the past two and a half years.===

Lol, she wants to erase the first two and a half years of her husband’s term.

“Pretend all of that failure and mismanagement never happened and go with this version of compromise instead. Also too, blame Madigan.”

Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 9:59 am
==Rauner is running on change and lowering the tax burden on working families.==

He has proposed spending every dime plus more from last summer’s tax increase.

The difference between spin and truth.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 10:02 am
===”Nice try but he was publicly fine with a tax increase, as long as he got 4 items from his 44 point agenda, and his FY19 budget proposal relies on the new revenue.”===

Which 4 items did he get again? I must have missed it.

Comment by Louis G. Atsaves Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 10:09 am
===Which 4 items did he get again? I must have missed it.===

I don’t think Bruce got any.

What a colossal failure. What will be different in a second term?

This explains why Rauner is the Worst Republican governor in America, lol

Thanks - Louis G Atsaves -

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 10:13 am
==Which 4 items did he get again? I must have missed it.==

Re-read the comment. He would’ve signed a tax increase if he got workers Comp reform, property tax freeze, term limits, and fair maps.

He got none of them.

The point is he can’t pretend like he’s a tax warrior.

Comment by Political Animal Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 10:23 am
Wordlslinger,

Rauner has proposed lowering the tax burden on working families and the businesses that employ many of them through privatization, consolidation, lowering state’s contribution for state worker health insurance, overtime and work rule reform, pension reform, local control of prevailing wage for government contracts etc.

The difference in spin is Democrats blocked every single one of these reforms because they stand with their government and union special interests instead of working families getting hammered by high taxes

Make the case that the Democrats are actually trying to make Illinois more affordable for the middle class.

Comment by Lucky Pierre Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 10:24 am
She speaks the lingo and has the right general concepts in mind, but things like this indicate she’s terribly naive. Narrative rewriting of a disaster takes time and needs to be based in fact. Sorry. —”As this is unfolding in real time we need to use this to rewrite the narrative of the past two and a half years.”—

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 10:39 am
Working with his state staff on his re-elect… Debbie Murashko, care to weigh in?

Comment by IL Watcher Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 10:44 am
Not getting passing reforms in a state where the citizenry has the least faith in state government in the nation is on the Democrats and Speaker Madigan, not Governor Rauner.

Democrats did not like the Turnaround Agenda and resisted tooth and nail but because they are not “change people” they did not propose any reforms themselves.

What would be different if JB was elected?

Absolutely nothing except more tax increases.

Comment by Lucky Pierre Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 10:59 am
===As this is unfolding in real time we need to use this to rewrite the narrative of the past two and a half years.===

I.e., come up w a new lie.

Comment by Langhorne Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 11:04 am
I’ve been know a time or 3 to be working at… 3am.

So there’s that, lol

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 11:17 am
I hope y’all realize that the Ed formula bill has done nothing for school districts. It is still on hold while they test the formula and try numerous “fixes”. July is a new fiscal year and districts still don’t know where they are financially.

Comment by Tequila Mockingbird Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 11:19 am
=If it took Mrs. Rauner getting heavily involved and formulating a strategy, so be it. Somebody had to do it. And we’re likely better off for it.=

Ounce of Prevention.

Mrs. Rauner had a vested interest in something happening. She probably should have registered as a lobbyist truth be told. The Ounce will be reaping serious benefits because of the way the early childhood grant requirements were re-written.

And it took people breaking with Rauner to get the job done.

==Rauner is running on change and lowering the tax burden on working families.==

No, he is not. He is running on shifting the tax burden, not lowering it.

You know that, you just are not honest about it.

Comment by JS Mill Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 11:41 am
===The Ounce will be reaping serious benefits ===

So?

You act like she’ll pocket the money. I don’t even think she takes a salary. It’s a good group. Heck, even Pritzker agrees with that and has contributed big bucks.

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 11:43 am
LP, thanks for that word salad. It’s the equivalent of a salad you’d pick up at the Road Ranger.

In his proposed 2019 budget, Rauner proposed to spend every dime from last summer’s tax increase.

That’s why he didn’t lift a finger to fight the override vote. Didn’t put a brick on the bill for two months, didn’t use his considerable political warchest to muscle GOP votes.

He wanted the money, and he plans to spend it.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 11:45 am
===Democrats did not like the Turnaround Agenda and resisted tooth and nail but because they are not “change people” they did not propose any reforms themselves.===

Rauner is a victim of 60 and 30? lol

Just last week, 60 House sponsors and co-sponsors signed on to send Rauner a message on one of his proposals, bipartisan too.

Why can’t Rauner get 60 and 30 on the steps for something Rauner wants?

Getting 60, 71, to go against Rauner is easier.

Speaks to the policies Rauner can’t get passed, not to the bipartisan legislators saving Illinois from Rauner.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 11:51 am
=So?

You act like she’ll pocket the money. I don’t even think she takes a salary. It’s a good group. Heck, even Pritzker agrees with that and has contributed big bucks.=

I am not insinuating that Mrs. Rauner will pocket any money and have said nothing to that effect.

To answer your “So’ is that fact that the rules were rewritten in a way that most if not all rural districts will not be able to meet the requirements and they will lose their 0-3 and 3-5 funding for programs already in place. Most of those same districts do not gain much from the new funding formula and will have to cut other programs to keep their pre-k programs alive or cut pre-k except for required special ed.

That is a big “So”. that will affect thousands of children that don’t have the ability to ask JB Pritzker for $5 million.

And most thinking people know that pre-k services and the services that Ounce offers are good for kids. No question. But now they (the Ounce) will gobble up more public money that others cannot replace like they can.

I for one think that is a pretty big deal, even if you do not. Sorry if my passion is off putting but this is a plain fact. If I am wrong I will own it.

Comment by JS Mill Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 11:53 am
LOL…

===The difference in spin is Democrats blocked every single one of these reforms because they stand with their government and union special interests instead of working families getting hammered by high taxes===

Diana Rauner?

===…to rewrite the narrative…===

The only way Diana Rauner uses those words is that the truthful narrative of Bruce holding Illinois hostage doesn’t poll well.

It’s not the Dems, or the policy, it’s the brand and messaging. Diana Rauner tells us so.

Good try.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 11:55 am
Dr. Rauner was probably also a proponent of the “Nothing short of a miracle…” rebranding of Bruce, too. Remember how that was appropriated???

http://nprillinois.org/post/rauner-campaign-ad-uses-quote-about-manar#stream/1

Comment by Anon221 Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 11:57 am
The Ounce has benefited in more ways than just the money. They also benefited from those smaller non-profits who had to close their doors due to the budget impasse. Less competition and more overall control of how grants are administered and even developed. The Ounce acts as a pass through for a lot of early childhood education grants, as well as other types of social service grants. It’s not much different than mergers and acquisitions in the business world. Even though Dr. Rauner only makes a $1 per year salary, she has an out-sized impact on what happens to many non-profits throughout Illinois. The Ounce may do good work, but some of it is through what amounts to predatory means and results in a severe reduction in local-to-local connections between non-profits and the people they serve.

Comment by Anon221 Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 12:08 pm
Chicago is very tired of subsidizing pensions of teachers that don’t work in CPS.

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 12:09 pm
=Chicago is very tired of subsidizing pensions of teachers that don’t work in CPS.=

“Chicago” doesn’t subsidize anyone’s pension.

Comment by JS Mill Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 12:17 pm
Chicagoans do.

Comment by Ron Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 2:12 pm
=Chicagoans do.=

Nope.

CPS has, for decades, benefitted disproportionately from state funding. All you have to do is look at their funding formula. But you won’t.

Comment by JS Mill Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 3:28 pm
Diana:
==Bruce takes on real state challenges that the Ds never did during their reign, convenes bipartisan working groups, negotiates in good faith, Ds run down the clock until there’s a crisis and then pull out of negotiations and run their own agenda, which is to do nothing and protect the status quo.==

Anonymous:
==The Ounce has benefited in more ways than just the money. They also benefited from those smaller non-profits who had to close their doors due to the budget impasse. Less competition and more overall control of how grants are administered and even developed. The Ounce acts as a pass through for a lot of early childhood education grants, as well as other types of social service grants. It’s not much different than mergers and acquisitions in the business world. Even though Dr. Rauner only makes a $1 per year salary, she has an out-sized impact on what happens to many non-profits throughout Illinois. The Ounce may do good work, but some of it is through what amounts to predatory means and results in a severe reduction in local-to-local connections between non-profits and the people they serve.==

Ding, ding.

Comment by crazybleedingheart Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 3:41 pm
“Democrats did not like the Turnaround Agenda” You do realize that Democrats represent a majority of Illinoisians, don’t you?

Comment by Skeptic Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 3:53 pm