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* The governor has had a pretty consistent message during this week’s campaign tour, all held at smallish businesses. As we’ve already discussed, he is recycling his 2014 campaign promises on rolling back the income tax rate to 3 percent, freezing property taxes, etc. But his main focus in on one man. From his stop at Moline’s Parr Instrument Co.…
“This is exactly the type of company we want to help grow in the state of Illinois,” Gov. Rauner said. “Small business is the backbone of the Illinois economy. Most people work for small businesses like Parr. We want to keep the restrictions and regulations off you so you can grow. […]
Gov. Rauner asked voters to contact their local legislators and threaten not to re-elect them unless they promised not to make Mr. Madigan speaker again.
“If your representative is a Democrat, ask them, ‘Will you promise not to make Speaker Madigan the speaker again after 35 years?’ He becomes speaker by the legislators voting for him to be speaker,” Gov. Rauner said. “We need some fresh leadership. It doesn’t matter who they pick in the General Assembly, anybody would be better than the one we’ve had for 35 years.”
Gov. Rauner accused Speaker Madigan of corruption, alleging he has earned millions through his property tax appeal law firm. By keeping property taxes high, Speaker Madigan makes money when businesses hire his firm to lower their property taxes through an appeal process.
“It’s a very corrupt system. We need somebody who has more integrity in his leadership,” Gov. Rauner said. “Everything I’m fighting to do is bipartisan. Everybody wants property taxes down, everybody wants income taxes rolled back, and everybody wants more jobs in this state. Everybody, except Speaker Madigan. Get someone else to be speaker, and then we can change the system.”
Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner stopped in Rockford Tuesday to campaign for re-election and took aim at House Speaker Michael Madigan, not challengers for the top state post.
“Speaker Madigan is really the core problem,” the Republican governor said of the Democrat. […]
Rauner said voters should ask legislative candidates this question: “Will they commit to not make Speaker Madigan (the) speaker again?” He said Madigan has created a culture of “self-dealing” and “patronage.”
“Thirty-five years, that is a long time,” Rauner said of Madigan’s tenure in the post. “We have folks in office for 20, 30, 40 years. … You should not stay in one place. You get corrupted. … I don’t think anybody should stay in power, maybe eight, 10 years at the most.”
* Peoria’s Philippi-Hagenbuch Inc...
Rauner also continues to villainize long-time House Speaker Mike Madigan. He’s calling on all voters to only support candidates who support term limits.
He spoke about a lot of his familiar themes during his first term as governor, calling for a property tax freeze, limiting government, rolling back the recent income tax hike, which he tied directly to Speaker Mike Madigan, and calling for a balanced budget by making the state more pro-growth and pro-business. […]
“Small business is the backbone of the economy,” Rauner said. “A majority of the people of Illinois work for a small business. The success of small business is the key to the success of our state.”
As he has previously, Rauner continued to campaign against Madigan. He blamed the speaker for the income tax increase and high property taxes, as well as a range of other problems, and he told workers they ought to get Democratic lawmakers in the area to commit to abandon him in order to get their votes.
“He’s the one holding us back,” Rauner said. “So we must get him out.”
Steve Brown, a spokesman for the speaker, responded that many of the things that Rauner counts as successes, such as the school funding reform law — which the governor initially vetoed — got the speaker’s support, too. “If you look at his criticism, it is not based in real facts,” Brown said.
* Meanwhile, Comptroller Mendoza was recently in LaSalle County…
Rauner has spent millions of dollars seeking to tie Democrats to what he considers Madigan’s Chicago political machine.
“The governor has tried to make this all about Madigan,” Mendoza said. “That’s all he can say for having no accomplishments for the last two years. People will be surprised to see in the next election that this Madigan person is not on the ballot.” […]
Nearly all Republicans joined Democrats in opposing the governor’s veto. Despite the bipartisan backing, Rauner accused Mendoza of trying to micromanage the departments under his control.
“He said it was just me and Speaker Madigan. I don’t know the last time I said ‘hi’ to the speaker. Our paths don’t really collide,” Mendoza said.
I don’t even run into the guy.
OK.
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Nov 15, 17 @ 2:20 pm
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I bet her phone rings a lot.
Comment by Wylie Coyote Wednesday, Nov 15, 17 @ 2:29 pm
Who is this “everybody” that Rauner speaks of? Is “Everybody” from Sweden perhaps?
Comment by A Jack Wednesday, Nov 15, 17 @ 2:30 pm
That’s because she says ‘Hello’ and not ‘Hi.’ See, she didn’t lie…
Comment by Perrid Wednesday, Nov 15, 17 @ 2:30 pm
===”Our paths don’t really collide.”===
Interesting choice of words.
Comment by Cubs in '16 Wednesday, Nov 15, 17 @ 2:33 pm
>Everybody wants property taxes down, everybody wants income taxes rolled back,
What I want is a stable, balanced state budget. Candidate Rauner, if you become Governor, what would your balanced budget look like?
Comment by Earnest Wednesday, Nov 15, 17 @ 2:34 pm
And GovJunk know Madigan voted for his prison early release scheme, private econ development agency, narrower toll lanes on I55 and tax freeze.
Compared to Ives or the quitters Madigan may be his most consistent vote.
Comment by Annonin. Wednesday, Nov 15, 17 @ 2:43 pm
This is getting embarrassing, even though Downstate folks appear to be buying into it.
>Everybody wants property taxes down, everybody wants income taxes rolled back,>
Sure, and everybody wants a pony or ten, but how do low prop taxes and rolled-back income taxes square with a balanced budget + paying down that pesky pension debt?
Doesn’t anybody ever call the gov out on the debt? Ever?
Comment by dbk Wednesday, Nov 15, 17 @ 2:55 pm
Heh. I bet they do something quite more elegant than collide. You can’t collide with someone in the passenger seat with you.
Comment by A guy Wednesday, Nov 15, 17 @ 2:55 pm
I get it. Madigan Bad. Bruce Good. Some dufuss winds this Mr. Machine up and sends him out to blabber the same old, tired, memorized lines. Madigan has a large share of the blame for the state we are in, but this guy is the absolute worst communicator possible. Ask him an unexpected question, and you get that goofy bewildered look, and rewinds to point 6 and blabbers on…..go away Bruce.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Nov 15, 17 @ 3:04 pm
“Not based in real facts” sums up almost everything about the current administration.
Comment by Fixer Wednesday, Nov 15, 17 @ 3:05 pm
Rauner really needs to get new writers to develop some statements that do not mention Madigan as an excuse or reason. Please take some responsibility.
Comment by zatoichi Wednesday, Nov 15, 17 @ 3:06 pm
I don’t think Rauner has been an effective governor. He took office when Illinois was ranked last in terms of fiscal performance, and we still are. He was not able to work with legislative leaders to implement his proposed reforms.
I think it is highly unlikely that he will be re-elected, but it is a possibility, with the likely outcome continued gridlock. The likely nominee of the Democrats is JB Pritzker, a man with some baggage and plenty of promises which are as unlikely to be enacted as Rauner’s for one simple reason. We can’t afford it. The majority of the legislature’s time is spent putting bandaids on the gaping head wound that is the pension disaster, and that isn’t goung away.
Now a few on this blog bleat endlessly that all of this state’s woes are attributable to Rauner. But when he goes away and the combination of JB, Madigan and Cullerton can’t fix it, then what will they do. The die is cast relative to the fiscal fortunes of Illinois. Raise taxes further and the exodus of residents and businesses will continue. The reality is, anyone who doesn’t need to be here to carry the baggage will move as fast as they can. Including the many pensioners.
Go ahead and spin your actuarial schedules and tell me I’m wrong. Base all your assumptions on past history. What’s coming is very very ugly, and the rats will scury once the ship starts going down.
And at the helm for decades as the crisis unfolded has been Mike Madigan. Viewed as the most powerful man in the state by many over the last 3+ decades, he relishes and uses that power. And he played a large role in the looming disaster.
Continue to give him a free pass or not, it doesn’t matter. He will never leave office voluntarily, and his bought and paid for constituents will re-elect him repeatedly. Has he served the state well. As the legislative leader of a state that has been a fiscal bottom dweller for more than a decade, you tell me.
Comment by SSL Wednesday, Nov 15, 17 @ 3:08 pm
Susana Mendoza’s nominating speech to her political patron Mike Madigan in 2011:
“I’ve had the privilege to serve under his unparalleled leadership for 10 years now, only a quarter of the time Illinois has benefitted from his almost 40 years of stewardship,” Mendoza said. “Over the last decade, I’ve observed his skills as a leader and a man who time and time again has demonstrated his passion and love for this state and has consistently put Illinois first.
“His work ethic is unmatched. He is steeped in discipline, laser-focused and impossible to unnerve. He’s a brilliant politician, tactician and public servant, and a great man whose commitment to Illinois is only matched by that to his family. While many aspire to be like him, there is only one Michael J. Madigan…”
is that her true feelings or are these:
I don’t know the last time I said ‘hi’ to the speaker. Our paths don’t really collide,” Mendoza said.
I guess we can rule her out for the nominating speech next time
Comment by Lucky Pierre Wednesday, Nov 15, 17 @ 3:13 pm
===is that her true feelings===
You could click the link and find out what she said. Don’t be so lazy.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Nov 15, 17 @ 3:28 pm
Could someone give this guy his bottle so maybe he will stop crying about everything. C’mon man. Good leaders except more or the blame and less of the credit than they deserve. This guy does nothing but blame everyone else for the bad and takes the credit for other people’s good.
Comment by Publius Wednesday, Nov 15, 17 @ 3:35 pm
See what happens when the U of I crew get tired of GovJunk and send him on the way?
He gets to the QCities and boast of his new U of I Chicago land deal — meanwhile Western is still choking. Classy
Comment by Annonin' Wednesday, Nov 15, 17 @ 3:42 pm
Question: At what age can Madigan retire without someone taking credit for his departure?
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Nov 15, 17 @ 3:48 pm
==I guess we can rule her out for the nominating speech next time==
Yeah, probably, since she’s no longer a House member.
Comment by Arsenal Wednesday, Nov 15, 17 @ 3:49 pm
We have months and months left of this campaign nonsense from the Governor of Illinois. We will see him put on his costume, drop the g’s from his speech - just a regular guy from the neighborhood and become Captain Ahab in pursuit of the white whale. What has Illinois politics become?
Comment by Professor Wednesday, Nov 15, 17 @ 3:53 pm
++==I guess we can rule her out for the nominating speech next time==
Yeah, probably, since she’s no longer a House member. ++
Which would, incidentally, also explain why she doesn’t “collide” with him these days despite the quote about working with him so much. Try paying attention, Lucky Pierre.
Comment by Whatever Wednesday, Nov 15, 17 @ 4:04 pm
Well Professor, Rauner has his own stylem which has rubbed a lot of people the wrong way. But you think he represents a big deterioration from George Ryan and Blago?
Sorry, but Illinois politics has been a disaster for some time, as half our governors end up doing time.
Comment by SSL Wednesday, Nov 15, 17 @ 4:27 pm
Second verse same as the first….
Comment by Generic Drone Wednesday, Nov 15, 17 @ 4:30 pm
“We need some fresh leadership.”
Yes, please replace Rauner with a really leader.
Comment by Mama Wednesday, Nov 15, 17 @ 5:11 pm
That should read real not really. Sorry.
Comment by Mama Wednesday, Nov 15, 17 @ 5:11 pm
Sure why would one of the 4 statewide Democratic officeholders have anything to do with the Chairman of the Illinois Democratic party?
She hardly knows the guy after all even though she is running her office in a totally partisan way. I am sure she gets all that strategy on what levers to push all on her own with no input from the Speaker’s decades of experience.
Comment by Lucky Pierre Wednesday, Nov 15, 17 @ 5:18 pm
Brilliant strategy, the results will be amazing. Just watch and see. Zero percent of those audience members will cast a vote for Madigan after hearing all that.
Comment by McLincoln Wednesday, Nov 15, 17 @ 5:26 pm
The fact is: Both Republicans and most Democrats would like to see Madigan go.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Nov 15, 17 @ 6:28 pm
===Well Professor, Rauner has his own stylem which has rubbed a lot of people the wrong way. But you think he represents a big deterioration from George Ryan and Blago?===
SSL, Rauner has intentionally done more fiscal/financial damage by decimating human services, higher ed, 15 billion in back log bills and reducing bond ratings to junk status
(remediated by the tax increase he vetoed) in his short tenure than either Ryan or Blago in that regard. So yeah I’m not a fan of Rauner’s phony fascade style failure as Governor.
Comment by XDNR Wednesday, Nov 15, 17 @ 7:42 pm
If Madigan would have just said “Hey gov, what’s your plan so I can pass the word on so we know what’s shaking man?”
Comment by Crispycritter Wednesday, Nov 15, 17 @ 8:39 pm
SSL - Wednesday, Nov 15, 17 @ 3:08 pm:
Very well stated.
MJM - $150 billion plus in unfunded liability and the author of the Kick the Can - I hope you die quickly “solution”.
SideBar - not a Rauner fan - but a some point the unfunded take it toll in so many places.
Comment by cannon649 Wednesday, Nov 15, 17 @ 9:54 pm
Imagine a real governor who is reaching out to everyone, crafting real legislation, knowledgable about the law, taking responsibilities, stabilizing Illinois, restoring our bond rating, bragging about us, and making everyone happy.
That’s what we need. That’s what we want. Rauner completely failed to be that governor. He never tried. He fought everyone, blamed everyone, and insulted us.
Rauner- bad governor.
Comment by VanillaMan Wednesday, Nov 15, 17 @ 10:10 pm
SSL and cannon649, question how many republican governors during Madigan’s tenure? Think about that, you may not be Rauner fans but your still drinking the salesman’s snake oil.
Comment by XDNR Wednesday, Nov 15, 17 @ 10:31 pm
XDNR, my distrust of Madigan began long before Rauner came onto the political scene. And my distrust is based on Madigan’s past actions and his inextriable involvement in the decisions that have placed Illinois in the perilous condition it occupies. You can’t be the longest leader of a state legislature in the history of this country and not bear responsibility for the resulting condition of that state.
The Reuters article from earlier this year did a nice job of summarizing Madigan’s accountability.
Comment by SSL Thursday, Nov 16, 17 @ 5:33 am
the proxy war didn’t go to good blaming madigan
Comment by Rabid Thursday, Nov 16, 17 @ 6:58 am