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John S. Jackson, a professor specializing in politics at Southern Illinois University, says the southern part of the state has come to resemble the changing political landscape of the Deep South of the nation.

“We lagged the South and we’re a good deal later getting to that, but we have certainly come to that party and we’ve become increasingly red in presidential votes and even in congressional votes now,” Jackson said Sunday on WGN-AM 720.

“This end of the state, particularly because of economic reasons, was always a bastion of Democratic strength, and the unions were a key part of that,” he said. But with union declines, primarily in the coal industry, “the same thing that’s happened to the South has happened here, though ours came more recently.” […]

“We are a deeply polarized nation and we are polarized ideologically and (in) partisanship and geographically, and now Illinois reflects almost exactly that same (national) distribution” of voter attitudes, he said.

* Tribune…

Rauner had previously come under fire from conservatives over signing into law an immigration measure that prevents people from being held by law enforcement solely on the immigration status without a judicial court order. Rauner has been forced to defend his signature as not creating “sanctuary” law.

But on Friday he spoke out against “that whole sanctuary concept” and blamed Democrats for forcing the legislation that resulted in his vetoes, though some measures also got support from Republican lawmakers.

One measure he rejected would create “immigration safe zones” which would require the attorney general to develop policies for courthouses, schools, libraries, medical facilities and shelters on how to handle immigration enforcement activity. It also would remove questions of immigration status from applications for benefits from state agencies, schools and universities.

Rauner also vetoed legislation that he said forced law enforcement to advance visa applications to immigrants “who otherwise would be deported” in order to defer their removal in cases where they “claim to be victims of crimes.”

Supporters said the legislation set rules for processing visa applications aimed at assisting victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking, giving them federal protections if law enforcement certified they came forward and actively cooperated in prosecuting their case.

Interestingly enough, the governor’s state and campaign Twitter accounts made no mention of these vetoes.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 11:56 am

Comments

Chicago truly deserves to be it’s own state. They don’t need any help from the country mice. Support House Resolution 1138.

Comment by Saluki Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 12:04 pm
Southern Illinois can continue to mirror the deep south and get “deep red in color”.. But it probably will not do much in certain statewide races.. 1. not enough voters, red or blue. 2. North of I-80 is getting bluer and bigger.. I agree that the downstate House Dem caucus may be a group of 4 or 5 only..

Comment by Not Rich Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 12:07 pm
Wait a minute. I thought getting victims and witnesses to talk to police was crucial to solving crimes. Now it’s not so important?

Comment by Da Big Bad Wolf Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 12:08 pm
Maybe we should bring back cumulative representation in the House. Its purpose was to give a voice to the party that had no chance of winning an actual election. It seemed to work for 110 years.

Comment by Steve Rogers Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 12:24 pm
–Interestingly enough, the governor’s state and campaign Twitter accounts made no mention of these vetoes.–

No worries. I’m sure he’ll repeat all that red-meat Trumpian rhetoric once he starts campaigning in the Collars, surrounded by Chicago TV news cameras.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 12:32 pm
If you force the poorest counties in the state to fund their education through property taxes one shouldn’t be surprised when K-12 education delivers a bunch of folks that aren’t appealing to employers, vote against their own interests, and celebrate bigotry, racism, and fly the confederate flag behind their truck because their too ignorant to know the history of where they’re from.

Comment by Anon Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 12:35 pm
Saluki: Just where to do you propose the rest of Illinois find funding for their roads and jobs for their people if Chicago would split away? Do you really think pulling Chicago’s revenue out the picture would make for a stable and better Illinois without Chicago?

If Chicago would split, guess what, the smaller gvt loving GOP lawmakers and downstate citizens might discover just how much Chicago has been propping up their areas of the state.

Go ahead, remove anyone with a Chicago address from the DOC and DHS systems, let me know what you have left and how you will keep your local jobs in place.

Comment by Give Me A Break Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 12:43 pm
My fellow southern Illinoisans are extremely naive and delusional. If the rest of the state lost Chicago and the collar counties we would be poorer than Mississippi, and ironically, our taxes would be higher (would have to go up to keep roads from degrading, education, federally mandated programs, etc).

Comment by Alex Ander Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 12:47 pm
Saluki, it’s hot out so I’m wondering what’s the flavor of Kool Aid you’re sipping

Comment by We'll See Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 12:48 pm
=== GOP lawmakers and downstate citizens might discover just how much Chicago has been propping up their areas of the state. ===

I’m sure our lawmakers know. It’s just the voting base believes otherwise so lawmakers say what they have to say to get re elected.

Comment by Alex Ander Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 12:49 pm
This is one southern Illinoisan right here that knows how bad losing Chicago and collar counties would affect us. We would instantly become the poorest state in the union. Ranked 51, and a distant 51st behind 50.

Comment by Alex Ander Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 12:51 pm
Anon. What does ” vote against their own interests” mean?

Comment by BlueDogDem Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 1:36 pm
==They don’t need any help from the country mice.==

Indeed, and they don’t get any.

Comment by LXB Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 2:02 pm
It’s not so much a matter of Southern Illinois suddenly becoming the Deep South. Culturally and politically, Southern Illinois has always mirrored the rest of the Ohio River Valley — places like Kentucky, West Virginia, and Southern Ohio. The de-industrialization of the economy and disappearance of union jobs has decimated the Democratic Party in all those areas.

Comment by Roman Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 2:10 pm
Jackson nails it for Southern IL and the trends affecting it. Fortunately, for Democrats, there are several other regions downstate that swing toward Democrats if Democrats run smart statewide campaigns. What’s stunning is how many campaigns devise downstate strategies from downtown Chicago.

Comment by west wing Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 2:26 pm
== because their (sic) too ignorant ==

Comment by anon2 Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 2:46 pm
Residents of Southern Illinois are the poorest in the state. Since Illinois has a highly regressive state and local tax system, Southern Illinoisans on average pay a higher percentage of their income in taxes than their more affluent neighbors up north.

Republicans have pledged to oppose any and all progressive income tax proposals, even proposals that would raise taxes on almost no one in Southern region, but would offer some modest tax relief. Consequently, I don’t understand how voting GOP is in their interest.

Comment by anon2 Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 2:52 pm
=Chicago truly deserves to be it’s own state. They don’t need any help from the country mice. Support House Resolution 1138.=

You win the internet today, but not the way you would like to.

Take Chicago out of the mix and you have very little.

Comment by JS Mill Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 5:07 pm
===Anon. What does ” vote against their own interests” mean? ===

If there is one block of voters that should be supporting an income tax increase, it’s folks in Southern Illinois.

Especially with the new education funding formula.

They’ll be able support K-12 education with funds outside of property tax levies, freeing up those revenues for either lowing rates, or making other investments in the community.

A governor candidate that thinks no new revenue is needed, wants to move additional costs to local governments for k-12 education, and legislators that think that’s a good idea and support someone that refuses to produce a budget — these are candidates they should never vote for.

Plus, the negative impact of the little things, like Rauner’s changes to medicaid, produce devastating impacts in some communities.

Comment by Anon Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 5:52 pm
==country mice.==

Even in Aesop’s time (600 BC) there was a rural/urban divide. Somehow we made it.

Comment by Da Big Bad Wolf Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 6:37 pm
Anon. I think thats where you lost me. Do you believe that if the state allocates more money for k-12 that property taxes and local sales taxes will go down? Man
That ship sailed a long time ago.

Comment by BlueDogDem Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 6:42 pm
First off, stop thinking that politics reflects intelligence. Because it’s incredibly ignorant.

Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 7:00 pm
Trust me, being traditional, conservative and Republican isn’t due to a lack of anything.

Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 7:23 pm
If non-Chicagoland Illinois is another state, it will match Chicago in the US Senate and have 4-5 representatives in the US House. This alone is attractive in that there would be better representation in the Federal government.

Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 7:26 pm
Economic viability is not a constitutional requirement to the Feds.

It would also give 3 or more more electoral college votes to the GOP.

So instead of insulting people with whom you disagree, try considering their side without being a partisan, arrogant fool.

Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 7:29 pm
Bottom line: it’s ok to be different, because diversity - even if you disagree.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 7:32 pm
–Trust me, being traditional, conservative and Republican isn’t due to a lack of anything.–

VMan, quote of the year.

I don’t know what you’re trying to say, but I laughed out of my tukkus in confusion.

BTW, John McCain, by any definitions, was traditional, conservative and Republican.

So are HW and Bob Dole.

Is that who you’re talking about?

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 8:03 pm
HW, Dole and McCain were not conservatives. IMO.

Comment by blue dog dem Monday, Aug 27, 18 @ 8:34 pm
==HW, Dole and McCain were not conservatives. IMO.==

Well, you’re a self-proclaimed troll, desperate for any kind of attention, who pretends to be some kind of Democrat.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Aug 28, 18 @ 7:20 am
==Economic viability is not a constitutional requirement to the Feds.==

I don’t think anyone said that. But it might be a factor in making separate statehood repulsive to the majority of voters.

Comment by Da Big Bad Wolf Tuesday, Aug 28, 18 @ 7:31 am
==Dole and McCain were not conservatives==

Oh boy. Here we go.

Tell us oh wise one, what constitute a conservative. I’m sure this answer will be interesting.

Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, Aug 28, 18 @ 8:16 am
==So instead of insulting people with whom you disagree==

We sure have a lot of victims around here. Someone hurt your feelings VMan?

Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, Aug 28, 18 @ 8:19 am
==If there is one block of voters that should be supporting an income tax increase, it’s folks in Southern Illinois.==
Pritzker is winning downstate.

Comment by Da Big Bad Wolf Tuesday, Aug 28, 18 @ 8:25 am
==HW, Dole and McCain were not conservatives. IMO.==

They WERE the definition of Republican until the last few years. The Rauner/Trump/tea party people took Gizmo and turned him into a Gremlin. If Ike were alive today the GOP base would hate his guts yet he was a real Republican.

Comment by Alex Ander Tuesday, Aug 28, 18 @ 10:11 am