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* Gov. Rauner was told by a reporter today that some Republicans blamed the party’s woes last November on the governor’s aggressive stance against unions. For the umpteenth time, Rauner denied that he was anti-union and said he wanted to create more union jobs, then made a case for his local “right to work” proposal. Former Sen. Daniel Biss was not amused…
He was enormously clear in private (and, I'd argue, in public) that he sincerely believes that unions are economically dangerous. He organized the last 6 years of his life around an Ahab-like pursuit of an anti-union agenda. What's to be gained by pretending otherwise?
— Daniel Biss (@DanielBiss) January 8, 2019
* Speaking of politics, Rauner refused to comment on who should run for governor next, but said he hoped “reform-minded leaders” would step forward, saying he would “encourage them” and perhaps help them. He appeared to wave off a direct return to politics for himself, but said it’s “yet to be determined” what he would do. “We live in such volatile times. I can’t predict yet what makes sense.”
When asked about former Gov. Jim Edgar’s admonition that the party choose a moderate and Rep. Jeanne Ives’ warning that the party needs to choose someone who will adhere to the party’s conservative platform, Rauner said the two “are both right [and] they’re both partly wrong, and unfortunately I think they’re both part of the problem”…
Republicans won’t win unless we’re moderate in many ways on many things. And I certainly consider myself a moderate on many things. If you look at my record, and the things I’ve advocated and the bills I’ve signed, most people would say I’m a moderate.
That said, if you’re gonna be a moderate to win elections, but you’re not going to be a reformer and fix the problems, what’s the point of winning? And, in Illinois, Republicans have won, in the 80s and 90s, but then they did the same bad stuff that the Democrats did. Kick the can on pension payments, don’t reform the system, raise taxes with no reforms, over-regulate businesses. If you’re gonna moderate to win and then do the same thing that the guy or gal that you were running against would do, what’s the point?
And I think Rep. Ives is correct that you got to have some principles, and you’ve got to be fiscally responsible/conservative… balance budgets. To me, I hope the Republican Party rallies around a unifying message of being pro-taxpayer and pro-job-creator. I think that can be a unifying message and that should define the party. The other things, we’re going to have some vehement disagreements on. Obviously, some of my fellow party members disagree with me on some of my more moderate views. OK, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t all be Republicans and push for responsible things for taxpayers and for job-creators.
* And he had a few words about the president…
.@GovRauner shares his thoughts on @realDonaldTrump: "I support most of the President's policy goals … and I'm appalled by his personal behavior. Just appalled."
Specifically, Rauner says he agrees on ending "illegal" immigration, with a focus on the "illegal"— Amanda Vinicky (@AmandaVinicky) January 8, 2019
…Adding… Raw audio from CMS is here.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jan 8, 19 @ 2:30 pm
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Thank you, Mr. Biss.
Comment by Stumpy's bunker Tuesday, Jan 8, 19 @ 2:34 pm
Perfidy.
Not anti-union, yet makes a pathetic cry-baby attempt to unilaterally declare an “impasse” ..
Opposes “illegal” immigration yet does not place State agencies on E-Verify.
Perfidy.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jan 8, 19 @ 2:35 pm
–I am genuinely baffled as to why Rauner feels the need to tell such a transparent lie 6 days before he leaves office forever.–
Birds gotta fly, fish gotta swim….
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Jan 8, 19 @ 2:37 pm
So he truly believes advocating right to work is not anti-union. He understands what right to work is doesn’t he?
Besides, he most certainly is anti-union and rabidly anti-union at that. His actions say so. His rhetoric says so.
Why, on his way out of office, does he still feel the need to not tell the truth. It’s a very serious character flaw of his. Not telling the truth. It’s just sad.
Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, Jan 8, 19 @ 2:38 pm
Rauner is a Raunerite, never a Republican, with an anti-labor bend, with an uber-left, costal, limousine liberal social agenda.
It’s so warped, any thoughts on building a party are a fool’s errand for a man who had no constituency within any party at all.
Bruce and Diana have yet to learn anything, especially about political messaging.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jan 8, 19 @ 2:39 pm
==you’ve got to be fiscally responsible/conservative… balance budgets==
Says the guy who ran up $16B in unpaid bills and presided over a government with no complete budget for two years. Yeah, that’s the guy I’d take advice from.
Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, Jan 8, 19 @ 2:39 pm
Even to the end. He still doesn’t get it (or he doesn’t care).
Comment by Maestro Tuesday, Jan 8, 19 @ 2:41 pm
First of all, I still have not forgotten what I have stated since Rauner first entered the Primary. He is not Republican. He did however succeed in buying the party and doing with it what he had done with business’s in the past. Buy it, piece it out and discard the bones. The damage done by the whole crew of Raunerites will take years to repair, if it can be done.
My Dad used to say of George Ryan, ” He has done more for the Democratic Party than any Democrat has done in 50 years.” Selling out to Rauner and allowing the damage done by him to the party, not to mention the State, will haunt Republicans for a long time.
Comment by SOIL M Tuesday, Jan 8, 19 @ 2:45 pm
Hasn’t he moved to Italy yet?
Comment by Cheryl44 Tuesday, Jan 8, 19 @ 2:45 pm
Very surprised no one asked how his spin before the Adams County grand jury went ..or when he was asked to appear. And if he proud he stalled efforts to regulate his poison plant in Westchester.
Comment by Annonin' Tuesday, Jan 8, 19 @ 2:52 pm
Bye, Felicia
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jan 8, 19 @ 2:53 pm
The Governors mansion and art display is really nice. He signed some decent laws….otherwise I can’t think of anything else….I am trying to point out the positive not coming up with much else
Comment by Not a Billionaire Tuesday, Jan 8, 19 @ 3:01 pm
really, really surprised that Biss would be critical of Rauner — who’d a thunk it?
Comment by jim Tuesday, Jan 8, 19 @ 3:04 pm
Well.
Goodbye.
Comment by lakeside Tuesday, Jan 8, 19 @ 3:20 pm
Bye, Felicia. Take your double-exempt people who have zero prior experience with their subject matter nor non managerial experience with you. That tied with the ant-union stuff was laughable, and your legacy.
Comment by X Tuesday, Jan 8, 19 @ 3:30 pm
= If you look at my record, and the things I’ve advocated and the bills I’ve signed, most people would say I’m a moderate. =
Donald Trump is not a moderate Republican. Neither is Jeanne Ives. Rauner is moderate compared to both of them, but do we think Jim Edgar, whose name is itself is synonymous with a type of moderate Republican politics, would say Bruce Rauner is a moderate?
= if you’re gonna be a moderate to win elections, but you’re not going to be a reformer and fix the problems, what’s the point of winning? And, in Illinois, Republicans have won, in the 80s and 90s, but then they did the same bad stuff that the Democrats did. Kick the can on pension payments, don’t reform the system, raise taxes with no reforms, over-regulate businesses. =
Govs. Thompson, Edgar, and Ryan wanted to govern above all else. Not even governors with single-party control can impose their beliefs. They also raised taxes because they actually ACTED on their awareness that there simply was not money in the treasury to “bring reform” (whatever that means today) or save the pension systems. 30-60-1, for crying out loud.
= If you’re gonna moderate to win and then do the same thing that the guy or gal that you were running against would do, what’s the point? =
“Moderate” is not a synonym for “betrayal,” sir, but thank you for showing everyone what centrist Republicans have had to face from within their own party for decades.
Comment by Dirty Red Tuesday, Jan 8, 19 @ 3:30 pm
Thank you Gov. Rauner for the rehabilitation of the Mansion. But the trick of not paying the bills for almost two years, $16 B in debt when PQ was making reduction payments, he knew we needed a tax increase, you ran against him on that increase and won, then turned around and raised the taxes back to where PQ had them, but paid no bills. You are a large part of our financial crisis. Have fun in one of your vacation homes, but please stay the heck out of Illinois.
Comment by Uncle Ernie Tuesday, Jan 8, 19 @ 3:30 pm
–Very surprised no one asked how his spin before the Adams County grand jury went –
Go on.
That should leak somehow, should it not, if true?
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Jan 8, 19 @ 3:31 pm
To repeat a very passive phrase often used by one Rauner’s past legislative team members, “See You Next Tuesday.”
Comment by Ha Ha Ha Haaaa Tuesday, Jan 8, 19 @ 3:33 pm
Rauner gets little right.
There were MANY Republicans, not “some”…
Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Jan 8, 19 @ 3:50 pm
So far I’ve not done well with one of my resolutions, trying to stay on the sunny, positive.
So let me just try…..deep breath
nope…angry thought.
slow exhale……….and……go
I do have to hand it to Rauner. He united us.
He activated us.
Four years ago I could go to Local meetings and only meet a few new people a year.
Now…..jeez
It seems life every meeting I know fewer people.
Seriously, so many new active sisters and brothers
social activites, education events, meetings
intense grievance committee focus.
It’s wonderful
An energized Local is a beautiful thing.
I have to credit Rauner alone for all that.
Comment by Honeybear Tuesday, Jan 8, 19 @ 3:56 pm
This governor is delusional and dangerous. If he truly believes he is good for unions, he is flat-out sick and most unfit for office.
RtW states are overwhelmingly lower-income. Full union states create jobs well. The economy moves nationally and globally, for better or worse. Union jobs pay more than non union jobs consistently in 82% of occupations reported to BLS. There is zero—less than zero—need for anti-union legislation.
An article just came out about how CEO pay in Illinois greatly increased, compared with workers—something like that. This governor’s income skyrocketed in 2015 and 2016, as he waged war on unions. In this age of info overload, I’ll try to check the article out.
Comment by Grandson of Man Tuesday, Jan 8, 19 @ 4:03 pm
He accomplishment: united voters who illustrated the true meaning of term limit.
Comment by Annoyance Tuesday, Jan 8, 19 @ 4:34 pm
I would agree that SB40 could be seen as “moderate” as were some of his justice system reforms. Beyond that…not so much.
Comment by Skeptic Tuesday, Jan 8, 19 @ 4:50 pm
Yes Ives,that’s what the GOP needs. More unhinged wingnuts.
Comment by MyLoofah Tuesday, Jan 8, 19 @ 7:30 pm
When is he going to talk about something we all can care about and agree with…like his proported long-term trip to Italy with Diana?
Comment by Baines4prez Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 7:36 am
I saw how he was yammerin’ on yesterday about how he really didn’t want the gig, but no one else stepped up, so he felt it was his duty, blah, blah, blah….
Right. He spent tens of millions of his own dough — much of it on negative spots against Schock, Dillard, Rutherford and Brady — because no one else wanted the gig.
If this guy told me the sun came up in the east, I’d look out the window.
Rauner was a pay-to-play hustler, who after years of bankrolling politicians, decided he’d spend it on himself for the ego-stroke.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 8:41 am
Rauner is freeze dried Trump.
Comment by DeseDemDose Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 9:42 am