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Pritzker strives for bipartisanship while doomsayers warn of hopelessness

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Illinois

Pritzker told The State Journal-Register that on Election Night, he spoke with Senate GOP Leader Bill Brady and House GOP Leader Jim Durkin “to say that I look forward to working with them to solve the big problems, the big challenges we’ve got in the state, and I hope they’d be open-minded in working with me, and they both agreed that they would be.”

I confirmed those calls with both leaders, to make extra special sure these weren’t phantom election night conversations like the ones Gov. Rauner claimed he had with Speaker Madigan and Senate President Cullerton four years ago.

* But not everyone is hopeful about the future. Wirepoints…

How much closer to Detroit or Puerto Rico must Illinois go before it reforms?

That’s now the central question, and tonight we’ve learned we have much further to go. The primary culprits in Illinois’s collapse ran the field — Chicago machine Democrats retained firm control of both houses of the General Assembly and won every statewide office. Congressional election results were just as dismal. […]

In almost all other races, Illinois voters effectively chose to believe they can “vote themselves money,” as Benjamin Franklin put it, which, he said will “herald the end of the Republic.” Their lesson will come, though when remains unclear.

They chose, more precisely than ever, the malfeasance and corruption that long ago set the state’s trajectory into the abyss, and offered no indication of what or when would be enough to convince them they’ve reached the bottom. A bottom will come, but when? Something then will arise, but what?

Personally, it’s one of my favorite, historical pictures that haunts the short term but inspires hope for a later day. It shows the first business to reopen in Chicago after the Great Fire, marking the start of a hundred rip roaring years when Chicago was among the most dynamic cities on the planet.

A similar day, far, far off, is all we can hope for.

I think that may have topped the infamous Hurricane Katrina column.

* Illinois News Network…

Pritzker inherits fiscal mess while groups warn of disaster

The incoming administration inherits a fiscal mess that some experts have said is beyond repair.

“One metaphor that comes to mind is some people have the best seats on the Titanic,” said Bill Bergman, research director at Truth in Accounting.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 11:43 am

Comments

Flood the City. Burn down the city.

What’s next, locusts?

Comment by Ok Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 11:48 am
” Their lesson will come, though when remains unclear.”

Oh Good Grief (banned punctuation). I’m so glad the Wirepoints author can armchair profile me. I’m not looking for the “rainbow stew and free bubble up”, but I was not going to enable the “starve the beast” CEO one day more. There’s a lot of hard work ahead, and based on what I’m seeing so far, JB and Crew are starting out on the right foot, REAL phone calls and all.

Comment by Anon221 Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 11:54 am
==In almost all other races, Illinois voters effectively chose to believe they can “vote themselves money,”==

Bruce Rauner literally spent the final weeks of the campaign claiming he could cut taxes without cutting services.

Comment by Arsenal Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 11:55 am
–How much closer to Detroit or Puerto Rico must Illinois go before it reforms?–

Detroit and Puerto? Get with the program, Pee-Wee’s word-of-the-day is “Venezuela.” Now scream your heads off.

–“One metaphor that comes to mind is some people have the best seats on the Titanic,” said Bill Bergman, research director at Truth in Accounting.–

Yes, a mind filled with hackneyed tropes.

But those Titanic II tickets won’t be cheap. Bidding is up $1 million for the maiden voyage.

Geez, get some new material.

If hackneyed tropes were gold, these guys would be Pritzker-rich.

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 11:55 am
Talking heads talk. What else would they be qualified to do? No need to know any true facts about how we got here.

Comment by Jibba Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 11:57 am
Will higher tax rates bring in much more revenue for Illinois? Stay tuned.

Comment by Steve Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 12:02 pm
Isn’t it odd that organizations with ‘Truth’ in their name tend to exist about as far from the truth as possible? The IPI has all sorts of names, like ‘Wirepoint’ and ‘Truth in Accounting.’

Comment by Springfieldish Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 12:03 pm
Steve, except for cigarettes, they always have before.

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 12:03 pm
I welcome and encourage a bipartisan approach.

If Republicans want to get out of super minority status, we need to be partners with the veto-proof majority when we can, and be the loyal opposition when we can’t

The total rebuke of Raunerism put the ILGOP even farther back than when Raunerism began with Rauner and Munger (replacing a bipartisan champion JBT) and Drury, Franks, and Dunkin are gone.

Raunerism regressed the former ILGOP.

I’m cheering, 100% for Pritzker to be successful, because I also feel he wants bipartisanship as a way to be successful.

If the ILGOP wants to rebuild, governing will help.

Sitting on hands and whining, crying, throwing papers… it won’t cut it.

We need Illinois to recover… Raunerism put back that recovery, and the voters rejected it.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 12:04 pm
The nerve of these people, wanting well funded public schools and social services. And how dare they ask their rightful overlords to pay a little more for them? /s

Comment by Actual Red Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 12:15 pm
Oswego Willy offers good advice to Republicans.

Biz groups say they want stability, predictability.

Unless there is some major fissure between Pritzker, Cullerton, and Madigan, those groups are about to get their wish.

If you believe that all the other fundamentals of the Illinois economy are strong, you have to expect there is a lot of pent up economic energy ready to be released. When it starts flowing, the GOP wants to atleast be able to share credit for it.

Comment by Radical Trolling Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 12:18 pm
==Will higher tax rates bring in much more revenue for Illinois?==

Short-term, yes. But money is fungible. What is collected by the taxor cannot be spent (paying down debt) or saved (retirement) by the taxee. So the tax impact to working families goes well beyond the actual tax levied and to the opportunity cost incurred.

Comment by City Zen Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 12:23 pm
There are those that want Illinois to fail. But will they apologize for their comments if Illinois manages to succeed? No, they will just find a new target.

Comment by A Jack Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 12:31 pm
===What is collected by the taxor cannot be spent (paying down debt) or saved (retirement) by the taxee===

What do you think happens to that money, spontaneous combustion?

Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 12:31 pm
==What is collected by the taxor cannot be spent (paying down debt) or saved (retirement) by the taxee==

I think if I had to build my own roads and hire my own police and firemen I would run through my money rather quickly.

Comment by Da Big Bad Wolf Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 12:40 pm
>How much closer to Detroit or Puerto Rico must Illinois go before it reforms?

I feel nostalgic for the days when we were being compared to Greece every day.

Comment by Earnest Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 12:42 pm
OMG, a governor who doesn’t lie about talking to the opposition leaders.

Good start. But politics has a way of mucking up even the best intentions. Keep up the bipartisanship effort.

To the GOP survivors. He’s reaching out, try reaching back. Your wingnuts won’t like it, but the state needs cooperation. You will have initiatives that you don’t like, but working with the governor can help address more onerous aspects. (I know, they’re GOP and they don’t roll that way, but my tinfoil hat slipped back on my head.)

Comment by Norseman Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 12:43 pm
==What do you think happens to that money, spontaneous combustion?==

I’d ask you the same question but…

==I think if I had to build my own roads and hire my own police and firemen I would run through my money rather quickly.==

…I’m moving to Wolf Town, because he apparently gets these services for free.

Comment by City Zen Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 12:46 pm
==…I’m moving to Wolf Town, because he apparently gets these services for free.==

I’m moving to City Z because Zen apparently gets his debt service for free, there fixed it.

Comment by Held Deadbeat Conservative Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 1:01 pm
I think we all want Il to thrive but why should we believe the people who were willing to burn it down for their own gain will do the right thing. Yes, Madigan was willing to let the state burn, not alone but just as surely as Rauner. Maybe JB will bring in a fresh perspective free from Madigan purse strings. We will see.

Comment by NeverPoliticallyCorrect Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 1:02 pm
Since 1998 I was hopeful for one month after innaugural day 2003, and two weeks after inaugual day 2015.

Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 1:04 pm
How much revenue will the state gain when we land Amazon 2. That deal should net us billions per year. Shouldnt it?

Comment by Blue Dog Dem Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 1:05 pm
=Isn’t it odd…=

Kind of like Pravda?

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 1:24 pm
I find these holier-than-thou pronouncements incredibly irritating, worthy of words not appropriate to a family blog.

Honestly, cutting taxes - whether property or income or sales or whatever - doesn’t bring in more money, that’s one thing we all (should) know. And as to lower taxes encouraging companies to relocate to the state, check out the latest on how Walker and Wisconsin got snookered by Foxconn (and how Crystal City and Long Island City are gonna get snookered by Amazon). Then get back to us.

My sense (hope) is that Pritzker will just ignore the naysayers and proceed with the business of setting Illinois on a strong path again. We are a very rich state (in contrast to Greece, btw, which is a poor country) which went astray about 80 years ago on making pension payments.

If we’re set back on track under JB as governor, that’s reason to rejoice.

Comment by dbk Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 1:43 pm
=Will higher tax rates bring in much more revenue for Illinois? Stay tuned.=

Will paying the bills get the bills paid?

The answer is usually …..Yes.

=What is collected by the taxor cannot be spent (paying down debt) or saved (retirement) by the taxee=

A fundamental misunderstanding of how the state economy works.

The money collected by the taxor is going to pay for a lot of things provided by taxee’s. Much of that money (not all) will go right back into the economy.

Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 1:53 pm
Bipartisan Folks: We are broke.

Comment by Rocky State Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 1:59 pm
===Much of that money (not all) will go right back into the economy.===

Where will the rest go if not into the economy?

Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 1:59 pm
Readers here, if you’d like to comment on what I wrote, I suggest you put it on the original article at Wirepoints, because we don’t selectively delete comments that don’t fit our narrative, as Rich does here. And, Rich, if you don’t want your readers to think that the exodus isn’t about to accelerate fast for the reasons I wrote, well, you also want them to think that McQueary’s Katrina article was meant literally and not figuratively.

Comment by Mark Glennon Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 2:00 pm
In re “Truth in Accounting”

Pre-Glasnost era Russians had a saying: There is no Pravda in Izvestia and there is no Izvestia in Pravda.”

God bless propaganda.

Comment by 37B Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 2:50 pm
That “vote themselves money” quote is not from Benjamin Franklin. It has been attributed to many people. I once heard Bill Buckley give a speech in which he attributed it to one of the ancient Greeks.

Comment by perry noya Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 2:51 pm
“Illinois Adjusts Course Directly Into The Abyss”

Oh, for pete’s sake. I assume Mr. Glennon has booked the moving van?

Comment by JoanP Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 2:57 pm
===The incoming administration inherits a fiscal mess that some experts have said is beyond repair.===

Beyond repair? They must only be talking to horse doctors then.

GDP of more than 800 billion dollars and folks think the state can’t address a structural gap and some pension liability?

Give me a break.

It’s time that the people living in Illinois actually pay for the services they’re demanding or are required to provide, the question of how we pay for it is important.

Pretending like it’s a problem too big to solve is wasting time.

Comment by Anon Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 2:59 pm
===McQueary’s Katrina article was meant literally and not figuratively===

It was meant literally until she changed it after a national uproar.

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 3:11 pm
Wow Mark I did take a look at your original article and the comments. A lot of your commenters want bankruptcy. I would rather play with the more mature kids, thank but no thanks.

Comment by Da Big Bad Wolf Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 3:13 pm
===McQueary’s Katrina article was meant literally and not figuratively.===

McQueary blamed the readers, never took onus of the original work, had it changed, and with all the missteps, yet to fully accept she was wrong.

I can see why you are confused… if you ignore all that.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 3:16 pm
Rich, if you “selectively delete comments,” why didn’t you delete Glennon’s?

Comment by perry noya Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 3:18 pm
Mark Glennon, this is for you:

https://www.uhaul.com/

Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 3:24 pm
===McQueary’s Katrina article was meant literally and not figuratively===

No, it was not, originally. They changed it online after an uproar, without notifying readers, AKA, unethical.

Here’s the original, before edits. Words have defined meanings, even in tronsylvania.

http://big.assets.huffingtonpost.com/Katrina-Chicago_Tribune.pdf

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 3:25 pm
Whats next? Comparing Chicago to ancient Carthage?

Comment by PP Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 3:35 pm
Glennon is nothing more than a Koch financed troll.
The “Wirepoints” is just another Koch Brothers propaganda shell company to give Glennon’s ramblings an air of credibility.

Find somewhere else to store your boss’s pet coke.
Illinois doesn’t want to be the next Kansas.
Time to troll somewhere else.
Goodbye Felicia.
.

Comment by Chicago 20 Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 4:06 pm
Greece debt to GDP ratio: 178%
Japan debt to GDP ratio: 240%
US debt to GDP ratio: 105%
Puerto Rico debt to GDP ratio 68%

Illinois debt to GDP ratio 19%

Not great, but let’s not get hysterical.

Comment by Da Big Bad Wolf Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 4:22 pm
I went to your site Mr. Glennon. What a hoot that was. You’ve all got your own little pity party going on over there don’t you? World is ending and all that. I especially like that little nugget about the “terrifying” outcome of the AG race. Great commentary there.

Why in the world would anyone take the garbage you’re peddling seriously?

Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 4:28 pm
==The money collected by the taxor is going to pay for a lot of things provided by taxee’s. Much of that money (not all) will go right back into the economy.==

A fundamental misunderstanding of how the economy works.

The money collected by the taxor is money the taxee cannot spend or save otherwise. Much of that money (not all) the taxee saves will go right back into the economy.

By your reasoning, when the state raises taxes, that money creates a utopia. But when that same amount of money is spent directly by working families, it falls into the abyss?

A dollar spent is a dollar spent. The only difference is the govt chooses the winners and losers, not the working families.

Comment by City Zen Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 5:46 pm
==Illinois debt to GDP ratio 19%==

Who’s on the Illinois $20 bill, Ogilvie or Thompson?

Comment by City Zen Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 5:59 pm
Who is Puerto Rican dollar bill?

Comment by Da Big Bad Wolf Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 6:24 pm
–By your reasoning, when the state raises taxes, that money creates a utopia. But when that same amount of money is spent directly by working families, it falls into the abyss?–

Where in anything that JS Mill wrote do you see anything resembling what you attribute to him?

You’re a lousy Strawman Maker.

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 6:24 pm
Good to see Capfax back to its old high quality - not a raunerbot in sight. Looking forward to Republicans spending the next four years decrying the coming fiscal Armageddon (perpetually right around the corner) and repeatedly appearing here to claim they’re moving to another state any minute now (really, they actually mean it this time).

JB has officially Made Capitol Fax Great Again

Comment by Lester Holt’s Mustache Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 6:58 pm
City Zen
You may want to invest some time in studying real macro economics instead of this wing nut psuedo economics. Maybe a course at a local community college or university with real teachers? Just a thought.

Comment by Old and In The Way Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 7:01 pm
I have a second home down in New Orleans, so I know a few things about what has transpired there since Katrina. Yes, the public schools have improved, although based on objective measures such as test scores they are still below the state average and Louisiana as a whole compares poorly with most other states. The restaurant scene is great, although I doubt that it is better than Chicago overall, and public transit is awful, much worse than in the 1980’s when I lived there full time. In his infinite wisdom, former Mayor Mitch Landrieu froze police hiring when he took office in 2010 - as a result, the police department is now woefully understaffed and crime is skyrocketing. Oh, and one more thing - to raise revenue, Landrieu installed hundreds of traffic cameras throughout the city. If you go 2 miles over the absurdly low speed limit, or you fail to come to a full and complete stop when turning right at a red light, you will get a ticket in the mail in short order. But then again this is only an issue on major thoroughfares, because side streets are perpetually laden with potholes and you will not want to go faster than 10-15 MPH if you value your vehicle. Sorry, but I cannot imagine that all things considered Chicago is a worse place to live than New Orleans, especially considering that everyone I have met who lives in Chicago or recently visited there (including my daughter who lives in DC) had mostly positive things to say.

Comment by Andy S. Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 8:51 pm
==You may want to invest some time in studying real macro economics==

Any pre-requisites you’d recommend?

Comment by City Zen Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 9:10 pm
Where were these doomsayers when Rauner singlehandedly caused the most damage in state history, per capita?

There’s so much hypocrisy. Some of the biggest whiners and Illinois exodus exploiters are those who are among the best off. People lost social services on a massive scale, vendors got stiffed and other willful damage was caused. Massive debt was deliberately piled onto taxpayers, to strip workers’ rights. There are a lot more people in line to whine first.

Comment by Grandson of Man Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 8:29 am
==damage in state history, per capita?==

There’s an app that measures damage per capita?

Comment by City Zen Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 10:31 am