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* The Austin Weekly News covered a Chris Kennedy event on Chicago’s West Side hosted by Ald. Jason Ervin…

Kennedy also said he was concerned about the steep decline in manufacturing jobs, a trend that has affected the West Side for several decades but that is now also negatively affecting southern Illinois.

“It’s exactly the same in Southern Illinois, except they aren’t used to it,” he said. “They have whole counties without a grocery story. They are angry, they’re raging, they’re mad. The American Dream — that promise has not been kept.”

Kennedy said that the idea that, with grit and determination, anyone should be able to build a better life for herself is something fundamental to America.

“My belief is that the American Dream is a civil right,” he said. “If you can’t make it, if your children can’t make it, then why be civil?”

According to the article, just 15 people showed up. Too bad. Sounds like they may have missed a decent speech. It can be really lonely on the campaign trail this early in the cycle.

* Daniel Biss spoke at a Springfield restaurant yesterday. No word on how many people showed up for that one…

Biss was at The Feed Store on the Old Capitol Square greeting voters, and also spoke with reporters. He said the 1970 Constitution allows only a flat income tax, which Biss called “a provision put in by special interests that said that we could not tax the richest Illinois residents fairly. Unlike almost every other state, unlike the federal government, we could not say, ‘Hey, if you’re earning $5 million this year, you ought to pay a higher tax rate than someone who’s earning $50,000.’ That’s unfair. It’s not in keeping with how our economy works today. It’s not what our neighboring states do. And it’s made our state broke as well. That has to be our No. 1 priority. If we fix that, it will enable us to fix many of the other problems the state is facing.”

Biss said only a handful of state constitutions mandate the flat tax, and prominent Republicans, from President DONALD TRUMP on down, back a progressive tax system.

So, what about facing a campaign and being called a tax-raiser?

“We have unfair taxes in Illinois,” he said. “The middle class pays too much. The working poor pay too much. The people who have benefited from two generations of economic growth don’t pay enough — not by my standards, not by our neighboring states’ standards — and most people of Illinois feel that. … We’re trying to fix a fairness problem in our economy, and I think that’s something the voters of Illinois will appreciate.”

* Could we have a new gubernatorial candidate? Maybe, maybe not…

Sometime politician, businessman and gospel television host Willie Wilson says he’ll open his checkbook again, this time for Chicago-area homeowners in danger of losing their property in a county tax sale next month.

Wilson, who rose from poverty to own McDonald’s franchises and a multimillion-dollar plastic glove distribution business, is donating $150,000 for the creation of a property tax relief fund with the Cook County Treasurer’s office. That money, along with a $5,000 donation from Cook County Commissioner Richard Boykin, will be given out as interest-free loans to home owners trying to pay off property tax debts ahead of the Cook County property tax sale April 3. […]

His higher-profile efforts come after a long-shot bid for president in 2016 and, a year earlier, a lost bid to unseat Mayor Rahm Emanuel. Still, Wilson isn’t ruling out a political future: “The (governor’s race) is years away. I don’t know what I’m going to do it.”

* Meanwhile, Bob Daiber signed a pledge…

Right-to-work is wrong for Illinois and I signed a pledge to support unions against Rauner's Turn Around Agenda pic.twitter.com/VfZLpWXsTQ

— Bob Daiber (@BobDaiber) March 21, 2017

* And Ameya Pawar showed off some of his bumper stickers…

On the Pawar family cars. #WeWillResist @AltNatParkSer pic.twitter.com/UmilVqiIOz

— Ameya Pawar (@Ameya_Pawar_IL) March 21, 2017

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 1:46 pm

Comments

No update on the Alex Paterakis front?

Comment by Grand Avenue Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 1:49 pm
Apparently, Alex is no fan of Pawar’s https://twitter.com/alexrpaterakis/status/838534686406283264

lol

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 1:52 pm
“They have whole counties without a grocery story…”

do they mean grocery store or am i missing someting? and if it is store, there are southern IL counties that don’t have a grocery store? thats as bad or worse than food deserts in urban neighborhoods.

Comment by baloneymous Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 1:53 pm
Where does Kennedy get the idea that obtaining The American Dream is a civil right. The American Dream is a HOPE, not a promise. Except by the born rich who are bored with business and hope to feed their ego with high profile politics. The meaningful Kennedys left a long time ago, and they will remain the only meaningful Kennedys it appears.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 1:55 pm
#CrookedPawar

Oh boy. I guess Alex the Kid is just that, a kid.

To the Post,

Campaign trails are lonely places, especially in the beginnings

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 1:57 pm
Biss is correct, the flat tax should be replaced with a progressive tax structure. This state coddles high earners.

Comment by Illinoised Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 2:02 pm
The 47th Ward does love their bumper stickers. He’s solidifying his base!

Comment by Adam Eaton Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 2:03 pm
===”Unlike almost every other state, unlike the federal government, we could not say, ‘Hey, if you’re earning $5 million this year, you ought to pay a higher tax rate than someone who’s earning $50,000.”===
17 out of 50 states have either a flat tax or zero tax. That is not almost every other state

Comment by BIG R. Ph. Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 2:11 pm
No one showed up for the “Biss event” at the Feed Store. Plus they didn’t even ask or notify the owners in advance- not cool. Just literally crashed the lunch crowd. Poor advance work by staff and poor job by Biss!!!!!!!!!!!!

Comment by Great news Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 2:12 pm
I attended the Biss event held at UIS that the college dems sponsored. They had about 75 people there for that and questions went for about an hour.

Comment by I'mDone Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 2:13 pm
- Great news -

You may want to save an exclamation mark or 5, or lower the caffeine intake.

My takeaway is that all these guys are out and about. That would be good sign.

When not out and about, they need to be on the phone raising money. Constantly.

If I were JB Pritzker, I’d call Diana Rauner.

Between taking Pritzker’s money for The Ounce and spending her OWN money dissing and dismissing Pritzker, you’d think Diana “I’m a Democrat” Rauner would be up for $100K…

… unless Diana still feels it’s a business decision, as a Democrat, that Bruce continues to destroy social services.

Worth a call, Pritzker Crew

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 2:21 pm
All these guys should hit the College Dem circuit - it’s an energized scene post-Trump & it’ll give them decent sized crowds, which is a nice ego boost for most politicians.

Comment by Grand Avenue Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 2:30 pm
“!!!!!!!!!!!!”

The mark of a well-reasoned post.

– MrJM

Comment by @MisterJayEm Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 2:31 pm
Two guys go into a barber shop for hair cuts, one makes $50,000 a year while the other makes $5 million. The barber charges each one of them $15, seems fair to me, that is how the economy works.

Comment by Stand Tall Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 2:37 pm
@Baloneyous yes, Gallatin county does not have a grocery store, and neither does the town of Cairo.

Comment by just maybe Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 2:44 pm
In return for generous campaign donations the Illinois political class will do everything possible to protect the wealthy from fair taxation.

Comment by Skirmisher Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 2:55 pm
== It’s not what our neighboring states do. ==

Well, except for Michigan and Indiana, but they’re not that neighborly.

Comment by Whatever Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 2:58 pm
=unless Diana still feels it’s a business decision, as a Democrat, that Bruce continues to destroy social services.=

OW..for Diana it really is a business decision. Most folks do not pay attention to the Early Childhood funding grants but Ounce is in line for a huge payday there.

When the ISBE released guidance documents to schools, The Ounce of Prevention Fund was printed on the lower left corner of the document as if it came from them. (BTW_ that has been changed on the website since they received a few inquiries).

mark my words- Ounce will get a huge chunk of funding and her “business decision” will have paid off.

Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 3:12 pm
=Two guys go into a barber shop for hair cuts, one makes $50,000 a year while the other makes $5 million. The barber charges each one of them $15, seems fair to me, that is how the economy works.=

Excellent comparison. Except, let’s take it a step further:

Guy who makes $5M is eligible for a number of subtractions and credits and reduces his haircut expense to $1.49. Guy who makes $50K doesn’t qualify for any of that and pays $15. Guy who makes $5K dollars qualifies for EIC and actually walks out of the barber shop with a free haircut and an extra $5 in his pocket.

This is Illinois’ Tax system, in a nutshell.

Comment by Dublin Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 3:13 pm
There was a huge crowd for Biss last night at the UIS College Dems event.

Comment by Donnie ballgame Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 3:21 pm
“No Pledge to Right-to-Work in Illinois”

I expect better grammar from an educator. Perhaps “Pledge to Veto Right-to-Work in Illinois?”

This looks like Frankenstein English. Fire bad!

Comment by Ron Burgundy Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 3:37 pm
So I researched Biss a bit last night and tipped off by a post yesterday I looked up Biss and SB1. Brick wall. Should Labor forgive? OW thoughts? I don’t know. plus he does Have the cash.

Comment by Honeybear Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 3:41 pm
It doesn’t surprise me to learn of rural counties that lack a grocery store of any significance. Consider that I grew up in a suburb of some 39,000 people and many of those Southern Illinois counties don’t even have that many people, it’s a different world down in the land of Egypt.

Comment by Gregory Tejeda Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 3:42 pm
==I attended the Biss event held at UIS that the college dems sponsored. They had about 75 people there for that and questions went for about an hour.===

==There was a huge crowd for Biss last night at the UIS College Dems event.===

Not mine to fact check, but I guess the conclusion is that if both are being truthful is that….75 is Huge.

Comment by A guy Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 3:43 pm
Kennedy has a good message for downstate regions hard-hit by globalization and job loss … education-led economic development throughout the state should be a centerpiece of his agenda and if he does he’ll connect with downstate far better than the typical Chicago candidate who pays lip service to the entire downstate region.

Comment by Downstate Dem Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 3:47 pm
Sorry Biss does not have the cash

Comment by Honeybear Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 3:59 pm
- Honeybear -

If Biss is the nominee… or Kennedy… or Pritzker… or…

Anyone but Rauner…

Labor needs to be united that “Anyone but Rauner” is the entire ball game. Choose sides in the primary, but the next day, calcify, unify, do whatever is the strongest bonding you can think of, and support the Dem nominee.

They are better for Labor than Rauner.

To Biss and Cash…

The preliminary stages here are simple; organize and raise cash.

Today, Biss is trying to do both and at the same time create a brand and uniqueness that is Biss.

It’s up to Biss and the Biss Crew to find the campaigning sweet spot of Wonky yet Folksy, Smart yet Common, Principled yet Compassionate.

It’s March, 2017. That’s the challenge, today.

OW

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 4:35 pm
- JS Mill -

Ironic, isn’t it? Diana Rauner’s business decision might actually BE about real business.

The real irony will be that, as The Ounce watches social service provider after social service provider… close.

That’s real. It’s happening now.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 4:36 pm
Does Pawar drive a Prius or a Subaru? Asking for a friend

Comment by Joe Bidenopolous Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 4:43 pm
Why do candidates and elected officials continue to speak about the decline in manufacturing jobs simultaneous to there being 35,000 unfilled manufacturing jobs in Northeast Illinois? Shouldn’t the discussion be about getting young people interested in manufacturing careers or in getting older workers interested in cross training to fit these jobs?

Comment by Barrett Pedersen Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 4:45 pm
Wrong post. Apologies.

Comment by Juice Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 5:05 pm
My daughter in central IL does have what is loosely described as a “grocery store”, about half their shelves are stocked with liquor and they might have 10 types of fresh, or nearly overripe, vegetables and fruits in stock. Some neighboring towns aren’t so lucky. People in that part of the state are conditioned to driving 45 minutes to an hour for a lot of their needs, as well as long commutes to work and for school activities. So it is a desert, but they have the means to adapt and have. The people of, say, Englewood, don’t have as far to go to get everything they might need, but then again some don’t have the means to get there easily either.

Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 5:54 pm
===”Unlike almost every other state, unlike the federal government, we could not say, ‘Hey, if you’re earning $5 million this year, you ought to pay a higher tax rate than someone who’s earning $50,000.”===

17 out of 50 states have either a flat tax or zero tax. That is not almost every other state–

Reading is hard.

His point is that 34 states and the national government have a graduated income tax.

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 6:08 pm
I have the same Alt NPS stickers. Does that mean I can be governor now?

Comment by Moist von Lipwig Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 8:01 pm
Eliminate pension protection first Mr. Biss.

Comment by Ron Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 11:08 pm
Ironically, in the email I received today, even the IPI conceded that state pensions could only be changed for new hires.

Comment by RNUG Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 11:47 pm
I’m not smart enough to understand the Pawar bumper stickers

Comment by Dozer Friday, Mar 24, 17 @ 8:47 am

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