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Rep. Bailey: “We don’t want a new normal. We want the old normal”

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* Rep. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) submitted this op-ed last night…

In Illinois, we are three months into governance by Executive Order.

40 Executive Orders are already on the books since the beginning of the Coronavirus or COVID-19 outbreak.

One-person rule has a poor track record throughout history. Unfortunately, we’ve been living under a one-size-fits-all approach to the Coronavirus, and it’s led to economic, social and educational harm.

According to the Governor’s schedule, Illinois gets to move into Phase 4 of his reopening plans and permissions on June 26:

“Gatherings of 50 people or fewer are allowed, restaurants and bars reopen, travel resumes, child care and schools reopen under guidance from the Illinois Department of Public Health. Face coverings and social distancing are the norm.”

I got news for the Governor, even while we were under his Phase 3 plans (gatherings of 10 people or fewer are allowed), southern Illinois has been getting together in larger numbers, WITHOUT his permission.

We are frustrated. We don’t want a new normal. We want the old normal, and that should have happened at a much faster pace for downstate Illinois.

Our State Fairs in Springfield and DuQuoin are cancelled, as well as the Grand American World Trapshooting competition in Sparta.

I note these particular events because downstate Illinois never experienced the COVID-19 outbreak that impacted Chicago. We should have been farther along on the reopening process.

Wirepoints, an independent online resource for economic research and commentary about Illinois’ government, publishes numerous articles about the Coronavirus’ impact on our state.

In a recent story, Wirepoints claims downstate should have reopened weeks ago even using the Governor’s own data-driven metrics:

“Case positivity rates downstate have collapsed for nearly two straight months…Per capita hospital admissions have also been just a fraction of those in the Northeast region. And there was never the risk of running short of hospital resources downstate like there was in Chicago.”

The Wirepoints article includes a graph showing 90 percent of COVID-19 deaths occurred in northeast Illinois, the Chicago region.

The Governor’s failure to take regionalization into consideration is one of the biggest criticism of his decision-making.

People I talk to are skeptical of what they’re being told about the impact of the Coronavirus, and who can blame them. For example, a Chicago Sun-Times story about virus deaths in nursing homes in April, included an admission by the Governor’s spokesman that a “definitional error” resulted in “cases being counted twice.”

At one news conference, the Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health admitted that Illinoisans who died with the virus were counted as the same as those who died because of the virus:

“I just want to be clear in terms of the definition of people dying of COVID. The case definition is very simplistic. It means, at the time of death it was a COVID positive diagnosis, so that means that if you were in hospice and had already been given a few weeks to live and then you were also found to have COVID that would be counted as a COVID death.

It means that if technically even if you died of clear alternate cause, but you had COVID at the same time, it’s still listed as a COVID death. Everyone who is listed as a COVID death, doesn’t mean that was the cause of the death, but they had COVID at the time of death,” Dr. Ngozi Ezike said.

There are other concerns too.

Rules for Illinois daycare facilities under the governor’s lockdown Executive Orders were delayed for weeks before any set of guidelines were released. The delay caused a lot of economic pain for these businesses, and I fear that some may not be coming back, unable to survive the lockdown orders.

Our schools have only now (as of June 23) received information about reopening.

Will our teachers and administrators have a chance to provide input moving forward? Again, can a one-size-fits-all and top-down approach work for both Louisville and Chicago? What if the schools determine the guidelines to be impractical and unworkable; what happens next? The Governor previously talked about a combination of in-school and remote learning, but many students won’t get the same level of instruction and guidance if they are out of the classroom.

The lockdown orders have also had a devastating impact on the state economy. Sadly, there will be businesses that will never come back.

A recent academic study indicates 100,000 businesses across the country permanently collapsed because of the Coronavirus pandemic. That conclusion was reached more than a month ago. The University of Illinois participated in the research. Here’s an important quote:

“A team of researchers at the University of Illinois, Harvard University, Harvard Business School and University of Chicago discovered at least 2 percent of the nation’s small businesses are now gone after conducting a representative survey of more than 5,800 enterprises between May 9-11.”

The University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health released a related report on June 1 about the immediate and lasting impact of the Coronavirus on the state economy. The report predicts a loss of more than 550,000 jobs by March of 2021:

“The report says it is likely that somewhere between 1 million and 1.5 million Illinois jobs may be affected overall.”

One person rule doesn’t work fairly and equitably anywhere it’s tried, and neither does one party rule. One party rule of Illinois contributed mightily to the current fiscal failure of state government. The state’s public debt is beyond the ability of us mere mortal taxpayers to pay off, yet the most recent budget passed by the majority spends more than ever before in a single year: $43 billion ($43,000,000,000)!

These same people passed two major state income tax increases with promises of better times. It never happened. Instead, they are constantly looking to raise taxes, and are proposing to radically change the way state income taxes are imposed – all designed to siphon more money out of the pockets of hardworking Illinoisans.

It’s long past time for “all hands on deck.” Leadership is about bringing people together, marshalling the forces to meet challenges head on, clearly mapping out a plan and then executing it, but always remaining flexible to adjust and alter it as you move forward. Illinoisans need confidence in its government and a Governor and the Legislature working together rather than one person’s one-size-fits-all approach, which is a one-size-disservice to all.

Discuss.

* Related…

* ASU researchers say data shows COVID-19 is spreading quickly in Arizona - The data, according to ASU researchers, also bear some similarities to New York, during its height of the pandemic

* New York, New Jersey, Connecticut require 14-day quarantine for Arizona visitors

* Arizona hospitals calling in more doctors, nurses due to COVID-19

* Arizona Gov. Ducey criticizes Scottsdale councilman over ‘I can’t breathe’ comment during anti-mask protest

* As Florida hits a record number of new COVID-19 cases, epidemiologists warn the next 2 weeks could be alarming

* FSCJ scientist says Florida COVID-19 data can be misleading: Perle told News4Jax on Wednesday that after watching months of data being released by Florida, he doesn’t think the numbers tell the whole story and have the potential to mislead the public.

* Covid comes to Florida Man

* Gov. Abbott Says Texas Facing ‘Massive’ COVID-19 Outbreak

* Houston’s health authority concerned as Texas Medical Center’s ICU beds near surge capacity

* Texas seeking volunteer help from medical professionals amid COVID-19 pandemic - Nurse who worked on New York front lines answers call to aid in Texas

* California sees 69% Covid-19 rise in two days as LA county has most cases in US

* New record high COVID-19 cases reported in California

* Disney delays opening of California theme parks as state sees coronavirus surge

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 8:59 am

Comments

you missed your “be more like Texas and Florida” window by at least two weeks rep Bailey

Comment by Bob Loblaw Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 9:04 am
Texas, Florida, Arizona, and South Carolina just called. To return the message, press 1.

Comment by Ok Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 9:06 am
It is hard to comment on pure ignorance. Just look at Texas, Arizona and Florida. Southern Illinois if it had a Covid spike would run out of ICU Beds in a hurry. If Rep Bailey wants to do something let him volunter to provide to help in Arizona. Talk is cheap, action is hard.

Comment by howdy Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 9:08 am
Uh, Bailey-

Union county, to date, has had a total of 176 positive cases, and 18 fatalities. That’s over one percent positive rate for our population.

If you don’t think that’s serious, quite simply, you’re a fool.

As far as losing the Grand American to Missouri, that isn’t scheduled until August.
If you haven’t learned this year how quickly things change in a matter of weeks, again you’re a fool. Missouri hasn’t hosted squat, yet.
Cape county positive rates have spiked in the last week, even with their sub-standard testing.

Comment by efudd Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 9:09 am
“southern Illinois has been getting together in larger numbers, WITHOUT his permission.”

So what is he advocating? Law and order? Mass incarceration…? (checks notes) Sorry, I didn’t get the memo, we’re in the anti-science “pro-freedom” formation today.

Comment by Ducky LaMoore Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 9:09 am
I’d recommend he start by working on sentence structure.

Comment by Just a thought Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 9:11 am
What’s that saying? You can wish in one hand . . .

We all want things back to the old normal. But we aren’t in old normal times. And that’s what Rep. Bailey and the other Covid deniers don’t understand. They want to simply snap their fingers and “poof” everything is good again. Well everything isn’t good. It’s getting better but it will be a while before it’s good.

And it’s funny that a Representative who has accomplished nothing as a member of the General Assembly and has shown no signs of ever wanting to work with anyone would lambast anyone for not wanting to work together.

Finally, he complains about one party rule. Well, Representative, take a good look in the mirror. If you don’t like one-party rule then perhaps your party should do a better job of winning elections.

Rep Bailey has been nothing but a grandstander this entire time. He’s part of the problem, not part of the solution.

Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 9:13 am
LA has seen a significant spike in cases despite still being in a severe lockdown (they’re still in a phase earlier than us) and slow to open up but nobody wants to talk about that, just the R places…

Comment by Wondering Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 9:13 am
“Back to normal” assumes that “normal” was working before. It really wasn’t. We can do better. We have to. But this is a defining characteristic of conservatives; “Normal” is where everything about life served them in particular, regardless of how it hurt everyone else.

Comment by Give Us Barabbas Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 9:15 am
I’ve yet to see a state that has been able to defy the scientific or medical community on this topic. Each time we hear claims that a state or region is somehow “different” the virus proves otherwise. Bailey’s indifference to this virus, punctuated by his refusal to wear a mask, is precisely why we continue to struggle with this disease as a country.

Comment by Pundent Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 9:15 am
Wondering-

Of course, you’re right. Since it’s spiking in areas that are taking it seriously and areas where it isn’t, let’s just say to heck with it.

Let natural selection do it’s thing, right?

Comment by efudd Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 9:17 am
The only logical way to say we must go back to the old normal is to deny the reality of what this virus is. And Rep. Bailey proves that Cairo at the only Egyptian relic in Southern Illinois, DeNile runs strong, too.

I understand that the reality of a virus that spreads easily from person to person without being seen, and kills 5% of the people it infects, is hard to grasp for a lot of people.

For them, it is easier to believe this is all made up than the reality is true. They want some other explanation.

But, Covid won’t just go away if you stop thinking about it.

The states that reopened too soon are now going to have an even harder time getting it under control because they have predicated their opening decisions on their underlying doubt of reality, and their constituents resistance to confronting the new normal.

The clear and convincing evidence shows that the new normal is undeniable.

Comment by Ok Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 9:17 am
Read the post on the Scottsdale councilmen. He’s running a close second to Bailey.

Comment by bogey golfer Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 9:18 am
I want chocolate cake and milkshakes at every meal without gaining weight.

The virus decides the timetable. Until a vaccine is widely available and effective, nobody can have the old normal.

Comment by Keyrock Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 9:19 am
“Wirepoints, an independent online resource for economic research and commentary about Illinois’ government”

I strained my eyes severely when I rolled them after reading that line.

Comment by MrX Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 9:19 am
bogey golfer-

Watch the video from Palm Beach co city council meeting after implementing outdoor mask rule.

Comment by efudd Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 9:20 am
- The Wirepoints article includes a graph -

And I like graphs. Because graphs are like pictures. And I like pictures.

Comment by Excitable Boy Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 9:20 am
Bailey is the worst kind of huckster. Playing to peoples base inclinations of “it hasn’t happened to me, so it must not be happening”. He is also unpatriotic in the worst sense of the word.

The worst case scenario in rural Illinois was never going to look like suburban and urban Illinois. Population density and lower mobility rates were always going to keep intensity lower. As @efudd pointed out, the relative numbers in some areas are not good though. If his data is correct, the mortality rate is north of 10%. That is very bad.

I don’t know when this guy and those like him actually pay for their transgressions, hopefully sooner than later. I am sick and tired of people that simply cannot put on a mask. If they did, we would have opened up along time ago.

Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 9:23 am
Not sure what Bailey is bellyachin’ about, since “southern Illinois has been getting together in larger numbers” despite Pritzker’s order.

Oh, and describing Wirepoints as ‘independent’ might be a bit misleading.

Comment by Medvale School for the Gifted Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 9:23 am
‘ Wirepoints, an independent online resource’

Ha Ha Ha

Comment by Morty Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 9:25 am
He lost the audience at ‘Wirepoints’

Comment by Morty Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 9:26 am
“We want the old normal.”

And I want a pony. Same logic. We’re moving into stage 4, allowing the vast majority of economic activity to occur and he’s beefing? Governor Bailey will have a different view of EOs, I think.

Comment by Jibba Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 9:28 am
Wonder if beetle is going to the republican’t convention.

Comment by Huh? Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 9:28 am
This guy.

Poor grammar. Poor sentence structure. Hardly defined ideas. Huckster. Go away.

Comment by Token Conservative Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 9:28 am
>lockdown orders have also had a devastating impact on the state economy

Unless I see pushback against the no-mask narrative I’m not going to take an economic argument from him seriously. No matter how much opening is authorized, businesses won’t succeed if a significant portion of their customer base won’t go out due to fear.

Comment by Earnest Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 9:34 am
There is a lot to be said for targeting responses and targeting resources.

If that ever happens. This does not.

Comment by Touré's Latte Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 9:35 am
I can’t read this without seeing him stomping his widdle feetsies. It’s not a good look for him.

Comment by Socially DIstant Watcher Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 9:39 am
Wear a mask

Comment by Dozer Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 9:39 am
Every day I’m glad I live in a blue state, and politicians like Rep. Bailey don’t have power over me. If it was up to people like him, the virus would be exploding here, just like it is in Florida, Texas, Arizona and elsewhere.

President Trump has been an utter catastrophe of historic proportions in this crisis, not leading on any national plan, not coordinating with anybody and just attacking people. His polling numbers are in the gutter right now and the ILGOP is tied to him.

Comment by Grandson of Man Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 9:41 am
The thing about the old days is: they the old days.

Comment by Three Dimensional Checkers Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 9:41 am
State Rep Bailey is sure earning his “Eastern Bloc Head” moniker.

Comment by Very Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 9:48 am
Anyone who is longing for the “old normal” is a person who denies science.

Trumpkins do that, with foul language and selfish ignorance.

Dear Illinois House Republicans… Dear Illinois Senate Republicans…

Bailey is why you’re an old, white, rural and angry super-minority that panders to ignorance.

He will get you below 40 House seats, and 16 Senate seats.

Good luck.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 9:48 am
===is a person who denies science===

is a person who denies reality.

Fixed it for you, OW

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 9:50 am
“We don’t want a new normal. We want the old normal.”

Isn’t this pretty much the definition of being a conservative? I’m not trying to be mean, but conservative is based on keeping the status quo and resisting change.

I’ve always thought this is how conservatives see things. There was no need to print an entire letter pointing it out.

Perhaps Bailey is confused about who he is, and more specifically what it means to be who he is.

Comment by TheInvisibleMan Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 9:53 am
We all miss the old days, circa Feb 2020. I have had a lot of grief over all the changes in my life. I miss my spouse and adult child who are living away from me since I am COVID-adjacent. I miss getting together with my many siblings and their families. I am sad about missing my May vacation to Colorado.

But wishing for the good old days will not change our current reality. I am going along with all the changes because that is the smart thing to do. It is the safer thing to do. Things kind of suck right now, in a lot of ways. But the virus will not be denied.

Comment by Groundhog Day Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 9:53 am
=== Fixed it for you===

That’s much better.

:)

It *is* unrealistic to want the old normal.

That much is clear.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 9:55 am
If wishes were horses( you know the rest)
We all want the old normal, but we aren’t going to get it.
Unless you think the old normal meant accepting a large number of deaths on a daily basis because of a pandemic?

I’ve haven’t seen a health issue be politicized like this since the early 80s. This just makes lives even more stressful.

I think we can all agree that sadly, many businesses will fail. Even if large gatherings are allowed, a lot of careful people won’t go. If customers won’t show up, you can’t stay open.

Why do people vote for politicians that try to sell you magic beans?

Comment by thoughts matter Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 10:11 am
When Rep. Bailey say the “old normal” I think he means the first half of the 1800s when Southern Illinois was the only population center in Illinois.

Comment by Concerned Dem Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 10:19 am
===nobody wants to talk about that, just the R places===

You just did. And it’s in the post. lol

Maybe go grumble on Facebook or something.

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 10:21 am
Thanks for running this Rich.

I’d forgotten that the real victim in all of this is Representative Bailey.

I feel for him.

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 10:24 am
“We don’t want a new normal. We want the old normal,” and there’s the rub Beetle. You fail to recognize the only constant in this life is change. If COVID hadn’t happened things would have still changed, granted more slowly, but still change. Stagnant is failure. You are failure.

Comment by Lt Guv Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 10:28 am
It’s almost as if he doesn’t really care about growing the ILGOP, and is only concerned with securing future guest appearances on fox news….

Comment by Lester Holt’s Mustache Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 10:32 am
I’m glad that Bruce Rauner and his party is not in control of the Governor’s Mansion right now. Otherwise, we would be looking like TX, AZ and FL.

Comment by Bruce Rauner Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 10:38 am
“We don’t want a new normal. We want the old normal, … .”

I believe that is called a Freudian slip.

Comment by Anyone Remember Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 10:47 am
I miss the old normal too. But inaction and ignorance by people like this mean I’m buying more groceries online, missing my grandkids and wearing a mask. I get so tired of these flat-earhers.

Comment by Abbey Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 10:48 am
When “Wirepoints” is mentioned as a (snicker-snicker) credible source, it reminds me of being cornered by an “in law uncle” married to a favorite aunt everyone loves and this uncle tries to “educate” the aunt’s family with conspiracies and half truths… citing something like a “Wirepoints” as the source *we all* need to read to “wise up”…

… and in a group text after we giggle at the site and it’s content.

“Wirepoints” is *not* the “other side”, it’s the side rational people have already debunked and moved on from to find truths.

On the other hand, Bailey citing “Wirepoints” is completely on brand.

===It’s almost as if he doesn’t really care about growing the ILGOP===

That’s partially true(?)

The Eastern Bloc, in this instance… at a time of the Eastern Bloc’s choosing… will dictate the moral compass of the caucuses and the party, and force the ILGOP and the GOP GA further into a spiral of irrelevance and purity… and they won’t care.

That’s how you secure the weekly invite on Fox News, not the small segment once a quarter.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 10:51 am
To quote an older song, “You can’t always get what you want” Bailey.

Comment by Fixer Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 10:51 am
This is the new normal Rep Bailey.

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/06/24/trump-pay-coronavirus-symptoms-338924?nname=illinois-playbook&nid=00000150-1596-d4ac-a1d4-179e288b0000&nrid=00000159-b728-d0fa-a1db-f73b1ade0001&nlid=639163

But go ahead and act like a toddler who who thinks he won because he got into the cookie jar after being told to wait until after dinner. That overindulgence can lead to severe “tummy aches” on down the line. Seriously though, he consistently demonstrates that he does not care to put down his blunders.

Comment by Anon221 Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 10:55 am
==LA has seen a significant spike in cases despite still being in a severe lockdown (they’re still in a phase earlier than us) and slow to open up but nobody wants to talk about that, just the R places…==

Yet a visit to the CNN webpage reveals the lead story to be about the spike in CA. Try again.

Comment by Lt Guv Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 10:57 am
=”We don’t want the new normal, we want the old normal”=

When I was a kid you would periodically hear someone say - “oh, Mr./Mrs. Smith, he/she doesn’t like change”.

I literally haven’t heard those words spoken in 20 years or more. Newsflash Rep. Bailey - bringing back the “he doesn’t like change” mantra is not a good look. It exposes you by the light of day as a yesteryear neanderthal.

You can still read about The Little House on the Prairie, but you simply cannot live there anymore, sorry. Back to the Future will have to do . . . .

Comment by On Point Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 10:57 am
== At one news conference, the Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health admitted that Illinoisans who died with the virus were counted as the same as those who died because of the virus:==
This is the most inane argument ever. That the Covid -19 is a hoax because some cases might be overcounted. Well, what about people dying that were never diagnosed? Those people were undercounted. The death rate has gone up substantially when we compare this year to last year.

Comment by All this Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 11:00 am
Willie Wilson, you gave thousands of $ to Rep. Bailey, you like the way he thinks, he’s your guy. Do you agree with Rep. Bailey that the Governor has been too careful in protecting Illinoisians ?

Comment by Scott Fawell's Cellmate Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 11:05 am
Even my 86 year old mother understands there’s no going back to the old normal. WTH is wrong with this guy?

Comment by Cheryl44 Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 11:06 am
Oh Mr. Bailey…

===People I talk to…===

Counterpoint?

Pritzker’s polling numbers on handling the pandemic.

The end.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 11:10 am
===It means, at the time of death it was a COVID positive diagnosis, so that means that if you were in hospice and had already been given a few weeks to live and then you were also found to have COVID that would be counted as a COVID death.===

Of course it would be a COVID death. Just like if someone broke into that same persons house and shot them to death, their death would be ruled a homicide by firearm. I guess old or sick peoples last few months alive don’t matter to the social and family conservatives in this state. Hypocrite.

Comment by Nagidam Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 11:18 am
“We don’t want a new normal. We want the old normal”

The Second Law of Thermodynamics doesn’t care what you want, Darren.

– MrJM

Comment by @misterjayem Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 11:19 am
Are we the only ones who spit out a beverage when the words “normal” and GomerBlocHead apppeared in the same item. Does his normal include GovJunk rampagin’ through IL on his hog?
BTW anyone think there is not much difference between Southern IL open and closed

Comment by Annonin' Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 11:27 am
Come on OW, that was a fun movie.
As to Rep. Bailey, I just don’t think he adds anything to the discussion of where the country has been going or where the country should be going.
In 1985 35% of the wealth in the country was owned by 90% of the people. Now it is around 23% with that 12% difference going to 1%ers.
I think the discussion will be increasing around how capitalism changes and not what a return to the good old days would bring.
The increasing investments in corporations that meet ESG ideas will do more to change things in the country than Rep. Bailey’s tired and worn out slogans.

Comment by Back to the Future Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 11:28 am
- Do you agree with Rep. Bailey that the Governor has been too careful in protecting Illinoisians? -

I’d say he probably does since he led the charge to pack churches in Chicago while we were peaking.

Comment by Excitable Boy Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 11:28 am
=== that was a fun movie===

I think you have someone confused with me.

I’ve always loved “Back to the Future”, but now I need to make like a tree… and get out of here.

:)

To the post,

As Bailey sees things with laser focus on what it is that his focus seems to be… he *is* aware this is a global crisis, right?

Talking to someone down the street doesn’t address the global impact, including to business, and why such a small minded diatribe reinforces how small the thinking is by Mr. Bailey… and how the polling of Gov. Pritzker seems to point to appreciation for the challenges of the new normal.

I do wonder aloud how many GOP GA members would sign on to this thinking… besides the usual suspects.

Would the party embrace this as its cry to run races… in the suburbs… with women, seniors…

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 11:40 am
Let us get thru all this,I do not like J.B., his rules or his politics or his tax and spend spend spend philosophy and I DO LIKE EXECUTIVE ORDERS…BUT let’s face it this is a national health crisis and we must live, WEAR YOUR masks PLEASE and shut up.

Comment by The Old Man Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 11:56 am
If Rep. Bailey requested that this op-ed be posted, is he willing to respond to some of the comments? If so, here are my questions:

What restrictions do you think would have been appropriate for southern Illinois? How, specifically, would the restrictions be different from the rest of the state and what is the justification for the difference? What is the basis for your assertion that a less restricted southern Illinois would have avoided the pandemic? How do you balance the importance of life and health vs business?

Comment by Pot calling kettle Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 12:01 pm
=According to the Governor’s schedule, Illinois gets to move into Phase 4 of his reopening plans and permissions on June 26:=

Um….no, actually it’s the CDC schedule…you know…the president’s coronavirus task force.

Comment by TinyDancer(FKASue) Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 12:04 pm
It might be worth mentioning that even with a vaccine and/or cure there’s no return to the old normal. Steps towards remote working, shopping, and learning were already underway before the pandemic. The pandemic has pushed that transition into fast forward. It may revert a little, but the increased used of remote communication for many parts of our lives that used to be in person are likely here to stay.

Comment by muon Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 12:10 pm
=One person rule doesn’t work fairly and equitably anywhere it’s tried, and neither does one party rule.=

You mean like that time in 1995 when Republicans took control and decided to short the pension funds?

Comment by TinyDancer(FKASue) Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 12:12 pm
Goodness. Bailey needs to go back to school. Terrible sentence structure and grammar.

Comment by Glengarry Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 12:18 pm
=looking to raise taxes, and are proposing to radically change the way state income taxes are imposed – all designed to siphon more money out of the pockets of hardworking Illinoisans.=

Pockets of hardworking Illinoisians?
You left out the part that says….who make more than $250,000, over $350,000 and over $750,000.

Comment by TinyDancer(FKASue) Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 12:18 pm
Ironically as I read the article and comments, I received several news alerts concerning the spread of virus in Texas, Florida and Arizona. The last being that Texas has paused it’s reopening due to “explosion” of Covid 19. I don’t think Viruses have a political agenda.

Comment by Retired ISP Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 12:25 pm
Ignorance and Buffoonery have become the defining characteristics of the Republican party in 2020. Embraced nationally, and now rising to prominence at the state level, it risks destruction of a party I’ve supported for over 30 years.

Buffoonery has been used to obscure inaction, cover misdeeds, and hide a clear lack of leadership (i.e., fingerpointing, grandstanding and name calling) without providing thoughtful, reasoned alternatives.

Ignorance has been embraced, encouraged and rewarded (i.e., discouraging masks, relocating events to science denying states, believing in feelings instead of facts, and, well…Rep. Bailey’s continued, unchecked grandstanding)

The question going forward is will State party leadership continue to encourage Ignorance and Buffoonery as defining principles.

I would prefer a reasoned, intelligent, well articulated path forward, even one that reaches across the isle to actually accomplish something.

The numbers for success in IL are the numbers (as OW points out almost daily). A Big Tent is a requirement, not an option. You can choose to grow a successful party or ride the super minority “Bread and Circuses” approach directly into obscurity.

Hopefully, true leaders (and not Ignorant Buffoons) will carry the day. Leadership must decide.

Comment by Animus Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 12:41 pm
I hope none of Bailey’s former teachers read this stuff. Just embarrassing material.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 12:48 pm
(Tips cap to - Animus -)

*Maybe* the real question isn’t “why does the HGOP let Bailey, the Eastern Bloc, the Hateful Eight speak as they do?”

The question is;

“How many seats are worth losing to let the Eastern Bloc, Hateful Eight, dictate the moral and ethical compass to the HGOP and the state party? How small of a party must the post-Rauner GOP be before deciding building is better than dividing?”

I’ll hang up, listen for my answer, sitting on *my* hands to help the likes of a Bailey dividing the state and imploding the party.

Help me… help you.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 12:51 pm
The Scottsdale story. Ugh. Reminded me of a nickname I’ve heard from Phoenix-area friends, Snottsdale.

Comment by yinn Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 1:16 pm
Things could be much better if we had a coordinated Federal plan/response.
But sadly Trump cares more for statues than he does about actual Americans.
He has a plan to protect statues all over the country but never even bothered to develop a national plan to help protect people from covid.
Truly a soulless ghoul he is.

Comment by Maybe he needs to speak to Trump Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 1:28 pm
From the classic rock song “Baba O’Bailey”, “meet the new normal, same as the old normal…”

“One party rule…” Yes, I agree that having so many unopposed downstate Republicans is a bad thing.

Comment by Skeptic Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 1:39 pm
Playing to peoples base inclinations of “it hasn’t happened to me, so it must not be happening” is Trump’s game plan. If I were Bailey, I wouldn’t use any of Trump’s plans.

We’re moving into stage 4 tomorrow, allowing the vast majority of economic activity to occur and Bailey is b*tching now the governor’s COVID-19 numbers are among the best in the country? The timetable has been determined by the virus & the scientist – not the governor and it has worked well for Illinois. Until a vaccine is widely available and effective, no one can go back to the old normal. The question is: Will people want the old normal a year from now?

Comment by M Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 2:25 pm
Bailey is proof positive that you don’t have to be smart, or funny, or likeable to be in politics.

Comment by knownothing Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 2:31 pm
“And I want a pony.”

Jibba, that was the first thing that came to my mind when I read that statement.

I agree with Rep. Bailey that one party rule doesn’t work very well. The problem, though, is that we don’t have a good alternative at this point. The Republicans are on the wrong side of science, equality, fiscal responsibility, and basic reality. The sooner they are gone and replaced by a real alternative to the Democrats, the better.

Comment by Pelonski Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 2:50 pm
It seems that there are two schools of thought in dealing with this virus. One looks to prevent unnecessary deaths and is guided by science. It does that through shutdowns, testing, and the wearing of masks. The other approach is that a certain number of deaths is necessary and is guided by politics. Under that scenario shutting things down, wearing a mask, and increasing the number of tests are ridiculed. We know which side of the fence Bailey is on. He now needs to tell us how many deaths are deemed necessary.

Comment by Pundent Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 2:51 pm
6,800 deceased Illinoisans could not be reached for comment on a preference between the new normal and old normal.

Comment by thunderspirit Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 4:09 pm
==LA has seen a significant spike in cases despite still being in a severe lockdown (they’re still in a phase earlier than us) and slow to open up but nobody wants to talk about that, just the R places…==

That spike seems in large part to be driven by irresponsible behavior in the “R places” surrounding L.A., not in the city itself.

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-06-24/4-suburban-california-counties-behind-dangerous-spike-in-covid-19-hospitalizations

Comment by CEA Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 4:57 pm
He’s not new normal or old normal, but abby normal h/t Young Frankenstein.

Comment by d.p.gumby Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 5:06 pm