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* AP…
Gov. Bruce Rauner is asking farmers to help him go after troublesome lawmakers and protect those who support his agenda for reshaping Illinois.
The Republican governor told attendees at an Illinois Farm Bureau conference on Wednesday that lawmakers who oppose reform create enemies among farmers and within the business community.
Rauner wants famers to help him “protect the good ones and go after the bad ones” as he pushes for legislation in line with his agenda over the coming months. His plans for Illinois include freezing property taxes, hiring more prison guards, increasing school funding and cutting billions in state spending.
He also said “We’ve got some corrupt politicians and some government unions bosses and some inside lobbyists that run the government for their benefit, not for your benefit, and I’m gonna break up that system.” He closed by saying “If we don’t get involved together, the bad guys stay in charge.”
* The governor also issued a long, full-throated defense of his “right to work” plans. Have a listen…
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 2:15 pm
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“What do you think of farmers? You think they’re saints? Hah! They’re foxy beasts! They say, ‘We’ve got no rice, we’ve no wheat. We’ve got nothing!’ But they have! They have everything! Dig under the floors! Or search the barns! You’ll find plenty! Beans, salt, rice, booze! Look in the valleys, they’ve got hidden warehouses! They pose as saints but are full of lies! If they smell a battle, they hunt the defeated! They’re nothing but stingy, greedy, blubbering, foxy, and mean! $*%*#@ it all! But then who made them such beasts? You did! You did it!” — Kikuchiyo, Seven Samurai (1954)
– MrJM
Comment by MrJM Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 2:23 pm
Just because they’re farmers doesn’t mean that they have pitchforks and torches handy, or tar and feathers.
As a public service, it’s incumbent on Gov. Rauner to put some names to the “corrupt politicians,” “bad ones,” “bad guys,” and others that everyone’s supposed to go after.
Wouldn’t want a “good one” to get it by mistake.
Comment by Wordslinger Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 2:24 pm
When you pit one side against another… and call yourself a compromiser…all you really are is true to what you want… not true to what might be best.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 2:25 pm
Why is it at times I keep thinking about “Animal Farm”?
Food for thought…
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 2:27 pm
So in terms of farmers, how pray tell does Gov Rauner separate the “good ones” from the “bad ones” or is it akl arbitrary depending on whether they support him or not?
Comment by train111 Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 2:29 pm
There goes the farm budget.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 2:30 pm
“Dear Governor,
Why do you make our jobs so difficult?
Signed?
The Legislative Liaisons and Press Shop”
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 2:30 pm
Been around it my whole life - and he’s right.
Comment by DuPage Moderate Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 2:31 pm
I wonder if those high paid Farm Bureau officials/lobbyists ($300k + salaries) are political insiders?
Comment by Nothin' Runs Like A... Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 2:33 pm
Who gets more from government - farmers or teachers? Probably a tie. Know your audience, Governor!
Comment by duh Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 2:34 pm
@nothing:
Is that a rhetorical question?
Comment by Jack Stephens Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 2:36 pm
The old joke: “How do you bankrupt a farmer? Nail his mailbox shut.”
Comment by Ray del Camino Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 2:37 pm
Does Rauner know how government works? How the people have their own legislators who represent their district’s interests? Legislators are to vote based on what their own constituents want and if they don’t, that constituency votes them out. We call this ~***democracy***~
Comment by Politix Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 2:38 pm
Divide and conquer, chapter 12 …
Comment by RNUG Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 2:38 pm
Politics is not a millionaires club. Just ask Rahm.
Comment by Politix Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 2:40 pm
Jack:
The governor says he wants to get rid of political insiders and I can’t think of any group that has benefited more from government than farmers.
Comment by Nothin' Runs Like A... Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 2:40 pm
Interesting audience for that message. I don’t think he was talking about Chicago Democrats. Not a lot of Farm Bureau members in their districts.
Comment by Wordslinger Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 2:42 pm
“I’m fuzzy on the whole good/bad thing. What do you mean, “bad”?”
Comment by Wensicia Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 2:43 pm
Repeat after me. My friends righteous; their friends corrupt.
Comment by Norseman Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 2:45 pm
If I were a GOP Legislator…
“Governor, tell me now, am I good guy or a bad guy? If you say it depends how you judge my votes, than who really is the bad guy then?”
Or…
Take whatever Rep. Sandack says to the governor as a good guy, and if you haven’t learned how to BE like Rep. Sandack, you’re a bad guy.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 2:46 pm
Shoot, the governor talks about eliminating insiders, conflicts and corruption…and he puts a consummate insider farmer in charge of the agency that regulates farmers.
Kind of funny.
Comment by Yield Bump Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 2:49 pm
Just because Rauner wears a Carhart it does not provide him a deeper understanding of what is important to persons who wear a Carhart not as a fashion statement but rather everyday wear. As said before he needs to understand his audience. Many of farmers get help from the government, not only with farm subsidies but also nursing home care for an aging parent, home care for an ailing spouse or SNAP benefits when the crop fails.
Comment by illlinifan Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 2:56 pm
So a guy who hires a bunch of “inside lobbyists” goes and rails against them? I guess those are “Rauner Rules,” in other words, rules and ethics only apply to the plebeians.
Comment by Precinct Captain Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 2:58 pm
Hope the farmers are ready to get the shaft in the next couple weeks. The Gov likes to go to events tell everyone what they want to hear then cut them at the knees.
First thing I’d do is tell people we don’t want the Governor coming out, means we’re next on the list.
Comment by DuPage Bard Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 2:59 pm
So if you’re one of the bad ones, you get an appointment in the administration? Total protonic reversal.
Comment by Juice Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 3:01 pm
Has anyone told Governor Rauner he doesn’t have to campaign anymore? He won the election, now he has to actually tell us how he is going to work with the GA. Or will his $20M do all the ’splainin for him?
Comment by NewWestSuburbanGop'er Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 3:19 pm
Hey elected GOP in the GA, tell us… what are your plans?
Comment by NewWestSuburbanGop'er Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 3:20 pm
I wonder if he also told the Farm Bureau that he has $20 million in campaign funds to be given out to convince some legislators not to be bad lawmakers?
Comment by Joe M Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 3:20 pm
Good friend owns farmland he inherited from his parents. His cousin rents the land. He taught high school in his home town. Said, yep, here I am with both hands in the taxpayer trough! Oh, wait!! I pay into that trough myself.
Many of our smaller rural school districts have farmers and/or their spouses who teach school. Most of them are members of the teacher’s local.
Comment by Nearly Normal Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 3:22 pm
We wonder if he told the farm bureau that he just gave a six figure IDOT job to a farmer who knows nothing about roads so he could rent a vote in the IL House?
Wonder if he told the farm bureau he used fed tax loopholes to claim $600K in tax losses in 2013?
Any one listenin’ for those item.
Comment by Anonin' Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 3:28 pm
@nothing:
Thanx. That’s what I thought you meant.
Comment by Jack Stephens Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 3:36 pm
“New Jersey is lost…they’re going down the drain” - So, he’s not endorsing Chris Christie for President then? Maybe that RGA money had nothing to do with his victory after all.
Comment by So. ILL Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 3:43 pm
–”New Jersey is lost….. They’re goin’ down the train–
I think the loud-mouth, trash-talkin’ GOP governors’ clown car is all full up.
Maybe look elsewhere for role models.
Comment by Wordslinger Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 3:50 pm
What you get when you elect someone with a “messiah complex”.
Comment by Buzzie Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 4:07 pm
Between his $20 million in campaign funds, lack of a political skill set, CEO ‘I’ll do what I want attitude’ and these good guy/bad guy threats I’ve got a suspicious feeling that Rauner may stumble his way into some sort of corruption scandal. Hope I’m wrong because Illinois doesn’t need any more scandals but the guy just doesn’t lend to much confidence.
Comment by Bulldog58 Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 4:08 pm
Whenever I listen to Governor Rauner speak, this is all I hear….
http://youtu.be/51lFmdChOA0
Comment by NewWestSuburbanGop'er Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 4:20 pm
And this is what I believe will happen, when state workers, all government workers have had enough of Governor Rauner.
http://youtu.be/cfHAiIq-Yeo
Comment by NewWestSuburbanGop'er Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 4:23 pm
== Rauner may stumble his way into some sort of corruption scandal ==
I hate to saw this but … at this point, I would look at that as a “best case scenario” for Illinois
Comment by RNUG Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 4:35 pm
“some corrupt politicians and some government unions bosses and some inside lobbyists”.
Please specifically name 5-6 current examples of each category. I can talk in generalities too and make all kinds of claims. If corruption is so high it should be pretty easy to name these people.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 4:36 pm
At the rate he is going at making enemies this guy might find out what its like to have a primary opponent.
Comment by Jon Lester Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 4:39 pm
@Anonymous 4:36pm
You know he will never name names. It is much easier to just keep saying the same thing over and over and over. No specifics just generalities and accusations.
Comment by NewWestSuburbanGop'er Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 4:43 pm
“Shoot, the governor talks about eliminating insiders, conflicts and corruption…and he puts a consummate insider farmer in charge of the agency that regulates farmers.
Kind of funny.”
EXACTLY!
With that said, farmers get a heck of a lot of subsidies but the bulk of that is federal farm bill money not state funds. However, the vast majority of family farmers in IL are totally dependent on off-farm income in the form of second jobs and spouses with second jobs and in downstate IL a very significant part of those are local govt and state govt related along with human services. Rural counties have higher poverty rates than urban counties. Rauner’s budget is not too bad to farmers and IDOA directly but the rest will have devastating impacts on the rural communities farmers call home.
Comment by WAK Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 4:48 pm
=== “some corrupt politicians and some government unions bosses and some inside lobbyists”.
Please specifically name 5-6 current examples of each category. ===
He’ll get back to you after the roll calls on his 10.
Comment by Norseman Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 4:51 pm
Didn’t Blagojevich refer to people as good guys or bad guys depending on their support? I recall a few quotes from the wiretaps.
Comment by Wensicia Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 5:02 pm
== vast majority of family farmers in IL are totally dependent on off-farm income in the form of second jobs and spouses with second jobs and in downstate IL a very significant part of those are local govt and state govt related ==
It’s not just farmers. The same can be said about a lot of workers in the construction industry … in most of illinois, that’s pretty much an 8 - 9 month working season also.
Comment by RNUG Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 5:38 pm
His entire reason running for governor was not to shake up anything, get the “fiscal house in order” - none of that.
No, the only reason he ran for Governor was to target unions.
Comment by low level Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 5:38 pm
I wonder if honest Bruce told the farmers that his budget cuts agriculture programs like FFA in the schools? I’m guessing that he didn’t, after all he visited with state workers and posed for pictures with them then went out and publicly excoriated them.
Comment by The Dude Abides Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 5:46 pm
Submitted a budget that doesn’t add up and next step is to set up corrupt legislators for blame. Not a way to get his job done.
Agree he’s stuck in campaign mode every time he has an audience. Can’t Rauner’s big communications team retrain him with updated material?
Comment by walker Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 5:52 pm
Hey Speaker. Hey a President. Did you hear that? You and your caucuses are corrupt and told what to do by inside lobbyists.
The farmers are gonna set you straight. Gonna help Brucie fix the things you broke.
Anyone up for a discussion about the farm machinery sales tax exemption?
Comment by Tim Snopes Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 6:31 pm
Rauner has officially become a clown. He actually talks about the “bad guys” who he is supposed to be working with to solve the state’s fiscal problems.
There’s no brilliant, 5-dimension chess game going on here. There’s no master plan where this dumbassery leads anywhere positive. When it comes to unions and anyone associated with unions (i.e., Democrats), Rauner gets unhinged.
Comment by DuPage Dave Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 6:50 pm
This is shaping up to be a real slugfest and I think it is only going to be uglier as time gone on. Rauner needs o take a powder.
Comment by Ginhouse Tommy Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 7:29 pm
One term. And I had such high hopes.
Comment by Union boss Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 8:09 pm
I should probably listen to the speech before commenting, but why would you talk to farmers about right-to-work? Does he nor understand that some of them are in unions? Also, does he not understand that the farmers belong to the Farm Bureau and various producers organizations all of which lobby the GA and Governor for favorable treatment. Farmers aren’t stupid, they can see thru the rhetoric and understand that their interest groups might be the next target for the city boy.
Comment by Pot calling kettle Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 8:43 pm
What a good farmer needs to know is that in terms of “work” our governor last year took in the equivalent of one farmer “working” ober 98,000 acres. By himself, no help, and you can double that acreage if you include his expenses. Compared to his “work” ethic, I would say that anyone who breathes should make a decent wage
Comment by Long time listener Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 9:00 pm
@Pot calling kettle8:43 =farmers aren’t stupid=
Farmers are not stupid, but Rauner thinks they are. It seems Rauner thinks everyone is stupid except himself.
Comment by DuPage Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 9:32 pm
Hmmm. Only 46 months left of this.
Comment by Tornadoman Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 9:48 pm
More shameful ranting from Gov. 1% attacking the average working families of IL. I wonder how many people Billionaire Bruce has walked all over on his quest to become a billionaire? How terrible a state IL must be to have amassed such wealth? Are “good” lawmakers one whose vote can be earned with your filthy cash?
Comment by bankster Thursday, Feb 26, 15 @ 5:42 am