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Rate the new Think Big ad

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* From the dark money group supporting the governor’s graduated income tax…

Today, Think Big Illinois released a new television ad highlighting the allies of former Governor Bruce Rauner who are behind the campaign against a fair tax. The ad underscores how the same people who led an administration defined by holding the budget hostage for 793 days, slashing funding for our education system, and putting partisan politics over middle-class families are now fighting to keep our current unfair tax system in place. This is just the latest in their efforts to protect the wealthy at the expense of Illinois’ hardworking families.

The ad, “Behind,” will run on television in Springfield and across digital platforms. Think Big Illinois’ previous ads, “How Unfair,” “Affect You,” “Almost Every” and “Wealthy” will continue running in Springfield and in markets across the state.

Five ads running at the same time.

* The ad…

Goes after Mike Z without naming him.

* Script…

Who’s behind the attacks on JB Pritzker and the fair tax?

The same people who gave us Bruce Rauner.

The same people who for 793 days failed to even pass a budget.

The same people who left us with a $3.2 billion deficit.

Now they’re using dark money groups to try to stop the fair tax.

Because they’re more interested in protecting the bank accounts of the wealthiest people in Illinois.

It’s time for change.

Let’s make our tax system fair.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, May 8, 19 @ 2:35 pm

Comments

It’s distracting. I had to watch it a second time to pay attention to the voice over. Might be trying to do a little too much with this one.

Comment by A guy Wednesday, May 8, 19 @ 2:39 pm
I don’t condone going after staff.

Moreover, how does personally attacking Mike Z help you get GOP votes for cannabis or any other part of the governor’s very big agenda?

Comment by Juvenal Wednesday, May 8, 19 @ 2:41 pm
Lol, one dark money group criticizing other dark money groups. Too bad the ad doesn’t name any of the Rauner supporters/dark money groups who helped bring the worst fiscal and human crisis the state has ever experienced (cough, IPI).

I like a good political fight, so B-.

Comment by Grandson of Man Wednesday, May 8, 19 @ 2:43 pm
Viewers of this ad are not informed about the fair tax or if it is good tax policy. We only are told that those who attack the fair tax are bad. Not compelling.

Comment by Donnie Elgin Wednesday, May 8, 19 @ 2:50 pm
“Viewers of this ad are not informed about the fair tax or if it is good tax policy”

Viewers of this ad will have already seen plenty of fair tax policy ads.

Comment by Grandson of Man Wednesday, May 8, 19 @ 2:54 pm
I understand negative ads in elections, because you want people in the voting booth to vote against your opponent. But in a grassroots lobbying effort? Strange days

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, May 8, 19 @ 3:13 pm
While it’s no secret Goldberg was my favorite, it’s not even close now, but I like(d) Z, and while I still like Z, making Z the face of this is a miss by what has been a real solid pushback to the other side for Pritzker.

I woulda went…

“Why spend so much money to fight a tax that only 3% of the people will see? It depends on who those 3% are… the wealthy.”

But, Z and the Think Big crews aren’t calling me anytime soon…

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, May 8, 19 @ 3:14 pm
Rate?

B-

“Why?”

See my comment above.

Lots of words, I got down to a long run-on or two sentence framing without Z… and that’s my first pass at it… plus I ain’t too bright and I saw the flaw quite quick.

B-

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, May 8, 19 @ 3:15 pm
==how does personally attacking Mike Z help you get GOP votes for cannabis or any other part of the governor’s very big agenda?==

This question pre-supposes that ILGOP would be willing to put yes votes on any piece of legislation proposed by Pritzker, or any other dem for that matter. Also assumes Z was a republican and not a raunerite, which some here would argue

Comment by Lester Holt’s Mustache Wednesday, May 8, 19 @ 3:18 pm
Rate the ad a C+ - too much inside baseball.

As for Z, Kayleen, and co - not too many Republican elects or candidates appreciate their efforts or lack there of. No one is defending them in the GA in my opinion

Comment by From a Republican on the Ballot Wednesday, May 8, 19 @ 3:25 pm
There are several folks involved with this effort and many were tied to Rauner and his admin. Doesn’t feel like the ad is going after any one person.

Comment by Shytown Wednesday, May 8, 19 @ 3:26 pm
I think it’s a good spot, but dark money going after dark money undermines everyone. I’d rather see Think Big building support in every region and doing free media, region by region. I think that would help resonate with locals better and that would augment the TV.

Comment by West Wednesday, May 8, 19 @ 3:28 pm
Mike Z came out of Central Illinois, not the Illinois Policy Institute.

Mike Z cut ties with Rauner (reportedly) after Rauner through his staff under the bus.

That former staff probably did more damage to Rauner than the Pritzker campaign. Certainly more damage than anyone could have hoped for.

It’s Pritzker’s job to get Republicans to the table and nodding yes. Just like it was Rauner’s job before him to get Democrats to the table.

Going after family, going after staff, that makes it a personal grudge, and that can’t be fixed.

Comment by Juvenal Wednesday, May 8, 19 @ 3:32 pm
D

Making our tax system fair implies we’re treating retirement income the same as regular income (ie know, taxing it), which we’re not, so the system is still not fair.

Comment by City Zen Wednesday, May 8, 19 @ 3:47 pm
Boring and benign. Maybe .005% understand. Only one who benefits is the TV station collecting the ad fee.

Comment by Wylie Coyote Wednesday, May 8, 19 @ 3:57 pm
Bruce Rauner is toxic. The ad tries to make opposition to the fair tax a “Rauner thing”. Z is just how they connect the two.

Just like anyone who was close to Blago has taken hits over the years, so too will folks close to Rauner. Birds of a feather.

Comment by Henry Francis Wednesday, May 8, 19 @ 3:58 pm
Why the heck are they re-running images of Rauner attack ads on Pritzker? Photos of Pritzker and Blago, Pritzker and Madigan? Unflattering photos of Pritzker?

Doesn’t make any sense. The opening of the spot looks like a Rauner attack ad on Pritzker — because it is.

You could make the same points without doing that.

And, of course, a dark money group complaining about a dark money group is ludicrous.

I’d bin this one and try again.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, May 8, 19 @ 4:16 pm
16 months out and they are already attacking the messenger. My guess is that they see something in polling that this line of attack is effective and they want to try and tamp it out.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, May 8, 19 @ 4:34 pm
This is so meta

Comment by People’s republic of oak park Wednesday, May 8, 19 @ 4:59 pm
D-

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, May 8, 19 @ 6:00 pm
==It’s Pritzker’s job to get Republicans to the table and nodding yes.==

Why? Republicans currently represent a super-minority of the legislature, Pritzker neither needs their votes nor needs them at the table. It’d be nice to have some R votes, sure - but not necessary.
And as far as Z goes, he got Rauner elected to office - that’s more than enough for some of these folks to hang the raunerite tag on him.

Comment by Lester Holt’s Mustache Wednesday, May 8, 19 @ 6:15 pm
Pritzker isn’t running anything that didn’t test well, so let’s get over the inside baseball critiques and such

Comment by Canon Wednesday, May 8, 19 @ 6:16 pm
===Pritzker isn’t running anything that didn’t test well, so let’s get over the inside baseball critiques and such===

Narrator: The title of the Post is “Rate the new Think Big ad”

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, May 8, 19 @ 6:22 pm
There’ll be lots of bathroom breaks taken during that boring ad.

Comment by Responsa Wednesday, May 8, 19 @ 6:50 pm
It seems like they’ve made it personal, which is always a mistake. It shouldn’t be personal; it’s just business!

They spent all this time and energy to create an add to complain about another ad. Why not just tell the audience why the progressive tax is a good idea?

Comment by Just Me 2 Wednesday, May 8, 19 @ 7:24 pm
The 2 major ads over Fair Tax (including this one) are real low bar. They are both ad hominem arguments that should render a harsh backlash against the ad makers. No such rendering in IL politics I suppose.

As far as this ad goes, if the adman’s point was to tie critiques of the Fair Tax to Bruce Rauner, then I say well done.

If the adman’s point was to explain why Fair Tax is the better way than the current system, then he failed.

It looks as though the first was the point, and so I say a B.

It got the job done but nothing awe inspiring or overly well done.

Comment by MG85 Wednesday, May 8, 19 @ 8:00 pm
Covers the info well, if you pay attention, it scores points

Comment by Truthteller Wednesday, May 8, 19 @ 8:16 pm
I don’t really pay attention to the ad.

I already know that most of the 97% will receive $100 or less of actual tax relief.

It’s a bad deal for the middle class. They need to do better.

Comment by CPA Wednesday, May 8, 19 @ 8:29 pm
The same Mike Z who just spoke at an IEA press conference. https://ieanea.org/2019/04/30/iea-releases-bipartisan-state-of-education-report/

Comment by Anon Wednesday, May 8, 19 @ 10:23 pm
Why not just say Rauner opposes the fair tax. While he was in office he did and that would seem to be good enough. You get the toxicity of Rauner without all the gobbledygook.

Comment by DougChicago Thursday, May 9, 19 @ 1:59 am