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ABATE pulls endorsement from Rauner

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* Gov. Rauner wore an ABATE Illinois sweatshirt to yesterday’s MAGA rally, but tonight ABATE announced it had withdrawn its endorsement…

ABATE of Illinois Political Action Committee is disappointed in Governor Rauner signing an executive order opening Illinois roads to autonomous vehicles with no safeguards. it has been our policy when working with elected officials on issues to hear what they say, but see what they do.

We believe that the Governor’s actions are a serious departure from discussions and intentions communicated to our committee, and represent a danger to the lives of motorcyclists on Illinois roadways.

For these reasons ABATE of Illinois PAC is removing our endorsement from Governor Rauner’s re-election campaign. ABATE is an independent organization representing Motorcyclists in Illinois, and we hope that by removing this endorsement other elected officials realize how seriously we take the issue of autonomous vehicles on Illinois roadways.

The executive order is here.

This is pretty big, campers.

posted by Rich Miller
Sunday, Oct 28, 18 @ 7:42 pm

Comments

It’s time for Dandy Don to start singing “Turn out the lights”!

Comment by Madame Defarge Monday, Oct 29, 18 @ 9:12 am
Will Rauner have to turn his patches and hoodie in now??? /s

Comment by Anon221 Monday, Oct 29, 18 @ 9:13 am
“Get your motor runnin’, head out on the highway… and don’t come back!”

Comment by Anon Monday, Oct 29, 18 @ 9:14 am
Is it like a majority of Abate members will even get the memo before Nov 6?

Comment by Real Monday, Oct 29, 18 @ 9:16 am
Good on ABATE. Autonomous vehicles are decades away from ubiquitous use on Illinois roads. When such a vehicle can navigate a gravel road in a blinding snow or rain storm, then they will be ready for prime time. Until then, they are a pipe dream.

Comment by Huh? Monday, Oct 29, 18 @ 9:17 am
–We believe that the Governor’s actions are a serious departure from discussions and intentions communicated to our committee,–

Rauner lied to you?

The line starts, way back there.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Oct 29, 18 @ 9:32 am
Somewhere, Bruce Rauner enjoyed a Stag, enjoyed the blind trust, which includes…

… I wanna be the first to congratulate Gov. Rauner, since his blind trust prohibits him from knowing he owns professional sports teams….

…his piece of the Boston Red Sox, as they won the World Series.

You lose ABATE, you win a World Series?

With the Red Sox win, Bruce could go to the White House with the ball club. POTUS can’t ignore him there.

Oh, governor, you own part of the Steerers too… they won yesterday too.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Oct 29, 18 @ 9:37 am
==Is it like a majority of Abate members will even get the memo before Nov 6?==

Was it even likely that a majority of ABATE members were voting for Rauner before this? I don’t pretend to know a critical mass of their members, but the ones I do know are iconoclasts.

Comment by Arsenal Monday, Oct 29, 18 @ 9:41 am
Baffled by ABATE’s decision. The EO appears to be intended to promote safety, among other benefits, with the coming of autonomous vehicles. No way will fully autonomous vehicles be allowed without their ability to share the roads with bikers. Seems to be a luddite reaction to technology that isn’t going to go away. Illinois needs to get ahead of the AV curve.

Comment by phocion Monday, Oct 29, 18 @ 9:41 am
I actually feel bad for Rauner on this one. He genuinely seems to enjoy riding and puts some of his self-identity in that community. To have that community now publicly reject him must really sting.

Comment by Arsenal Monday, Oct 29, 18 @ 9:42 am
===Seems to be a luddite reaction to technology that isn’t going to go away===

LOL

You gotta have the tech before it can go away.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Oct 29, 18 @ 9:46 am
I don’t get the timing of this EO. There are concerns that autonomous trucks will cost truck driving jobs. And if they are electric, that will kill a big source of motor fuel revenue that is needed for Illinois’ infrastructure. Yet, trucks are probably the biggest contributors to infrastructure wear and tear.

Comment by A Jack Monday, Oct 29, 18 @ 10:06 am
No one is saying AVs are ready to go it alone yet, though for the record, if AV’s with a human driver scare them they should be terrified of normal human drivers. Just saying.

Comment by Perrid Monday, Oct 29, 18 @ 10:33 am
===ready to go it alone yet===

The most over-hyped vaporware since “Monorail!”

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Oct 29, 18 @ 10:34 am
Given the real world effects of that EO (none), it seems ABATE is reaching to come up with a reason to distance itself from the Guv.

Not even Diana in a side car could save this.

Comment by Henry Francis Monday, Oct 29, 18 @ 10:56 am
==Given the real world effects of that EO (none), it seems ABATE is reaching to come up with a reason to distance itself from the Guv.==

ABATE is looking for ways to say to every candidate, “Don’t mess with us”.

This, frankly, is a cheap way to do that.

Comment by Arsenal Monday, Oct 29, 18 @ 10:59 am
This is indeed huge, and ABATE will spread the word (if they haven’t already). If I was someone working in the McCann camp, I would be putting together a nice fast social media ad right now (if they haven’t already).

Comment by Not so silent majority Monday, Oct 29, 18 @ 11:36 am
McCann crapped in his nest with ABATE after the endorsement session. That dog won’t hunt.

Comment by Todd Monday, Oct 29, 18 @ 11:48 am
McCann lobbed some false accusations against ABATE’s leadership and PAC a couple weeks ago. Doubt they’d be willing to promote him at all.

Comment by Aim to Misbehave Monday, Oct 29, 18 @ 11:56 am
Is former NRA lobbyist Todd Vandermyde still ABATE lobbyist? I don’t know if he could get hired as the the night clerk at Motel 6, with his legislative track record. Maybe the new spokesman for Motel 6 instead of Jim Bodette, with the beard?

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Oct 29, 18 @ 4:10 pm
What good is a biker dude without a gang? Better return your flair Rauner. Your privledges have been revoked

Comment by Generic Drone Tuesday, Oct 30, 18 @ 12:13 am