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* Tribune…
When Rauner appeared before the Tribune editorial board just months into his firm term in April 2015, he promoted the idea that “Crisis creates opportunity. Crisis creates leverage to change.” It became a precursor to an historic 736-day budget impasse, a test of wills between his pro-business, union-weakening agenda and labor-backed Democrats who control the legislature. […]
Some Republicans joined Democrats in July to end the impasse by passing a major income tax hike and spending plan over Rauner’s vetoes. As a result, the governor said the state had “lost” an opportunity for economic change.
“We had the possibility of a transformation for the state with the crisis that we had — if we had a principled caucus. It’s the primary reason I ran. We had the opportunity for a massive transformation. We lost that,” the Republican governor said.
The governor’s office pushed back hard this morning against part of my subscriber edition that used the above quote. What he told the Tribune yesterday doesn’t prove that he created the crisis, only that he tried to use it to get what he wanted. Fair enough.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Pritzker campaign…
During a meeting with the Chicago Tribune editorial board yesterday, Bruce Rauner endorsed the Crisis Creatin’ Rauner campaign by finally admitting that he created a crisis to leverage his special interest agenda. The endorsement comes after Rauner’s infamous comments two and a half years ago to the same editorial board where he said:
Yesterday, Bruce Rauner admitted that his crisis creatin’ ways had failed, saying: “We had the possibility of a transformation for the state with the crisis that we had — if we had a principled caucus. It’s the primary reason I ran. We had the opportunity for a massive transformation. We lost that.”
“Bruce Rauner gave truth telling a try and finally admitted what we’ve known all along: Rauner manufactured a budget crisis to advance his political agenda no matter the human cost,” said Pritzker communications director Galia Slayen. “The Crisis Creatin’ Rauner team appreciates the governor’s validation of our work and resounding endorsement of our mission to put his ruthless strategy and malicious intent on full display.”
*** UPDATE 2 *** DGA…
In a Trumpian editorial board meeting yesterday, Governor Bruce Rauner laid to rest any lingering questions about his role in creating and exacerbating the budget crisis. Rauner admits he wanted to use the crisis to pass his political agenda, and lamented to the Chicago Tribune that he “lost” the “possibility of a transformation for the state with the crisis that we had” after Republicans broke ranks in July […]
This spring, Rauner twice pulled back his caucus from negotiating a compromise. He then vetoed the state’s first budget in two-years despite warnings from credit houses that further impasse would lead to a “junk” bond status for the state. Rauner’s budget crisis exploded state debt, slowed job creation, devastated state services, and decimated the state’s higher education system.
Earlier this week, Rauner’s campaign listed the budget veto as a “Top 10 accomplishment.”
“Bruce Rauner just admitted he forced the state to go years without a budget for his own political ambition,” said DGA Illinois Communications Director Sam Salustro. “Millions of Illinois residents had their lives disrupted and hurt by the budget impasse, but Rauner shows no remorse for his actions. Rauner only regrets that it did not continue longer. Illinois is worse off because of the budget crisis and Bruce Rauner just admitted he is to blame.”
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Dec 20, 17 @ 9:34 am
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Sounds like he’s admitting that he’s a failure.
Comment by Anon E. Moose Wednesday, Dec 20, 17 @ 9:36 am
And that transformation would have been what…. just the elimination of public unions?
Comment by OK Wednesday, Dec 20, 17 @ 9:36 am
Don’t be too hard on yourself, Rich. Rauner exacerbated the crisis to help get what he wanted.
Comment by DarkHorse Wednesday, Dec 20, 17 @ 9:39 am
He can push back but a lot of us believe Rauner deliberately made a bad situation into a crisis he could try to exploit.
Comment by RNUG Wednesday, Dec 20, 17 @ 9:39 am
What was it that he wanted?
I’m trying to remember the clear alternative plan he laid out to the public.
This guy is alternate universe.
Comment by Michelle Flaherty Wednesday, Dec 20, 17 @ 9:40 am
Maybe he didn’t create the underlying causes of the crisis, but it sure sounds like he wanted it to continue until he got exactly what we wanted without compromise.
Comment by Henry Wednesday, Dec 20, 17 @ 9:41 am
Who are you going to believe? Rauner or your lying eyes?
Comment by Albany Park Patriot Wednesday, Dec 20, 17 @ 9:42 am
There is an old saying “In caos there is profit.” With the level of caos created by this Governor, we should be leading the country in profit. Instead we are binging up the rear in all aspects including profit and debt. Seems like a failure to me.
Comment by Retired Educator Wednesday, Dec 20, 17 @ 9:43 am
=We had the opportunity for a massive transformation.=
The problem is there was never any “we” in Rauner’s massive transformation there was only “I”.
Comment by Pundent Wednesday, Dec 20, 17 @ 9:46 am
“What he told the Tribune yesterday doesn’t prove that he created the crisis…”
The 700+ day budget mess could have all be prevented if the Gov had line-item veto authority. /s
Comment by We'll See Wednesday, Dec 20, 17 @ 9:47 am
The implication here (especially given the verb tenses) is that Rauner sounds like he’d fine with the crisis still ongoing. The fact his caucus failed him was … what, the reason that the crisis didn’t have the impact it might have had?
That’s crazy. No one governs like that. Even Nixon knew he had to make the switch from the partisan politician to the statesman. Late in his first term, yes — but he nevertheless tried to do it. Won in a landslide for a second term — and then, well, things went downhill from there.
Still. Point is, even Nixon knew the public “campaign mode” had to end. Privately, of course, he felt himself as much a victim as Rauner and Trump.
Comment by Macbeth Wednesday, Dec 20, 17 @ 9:50 am
Rauner most definitely exacerbated the crisis. He is a super-rich person who purposely exploited and hurt the poor, sick and vulnerable to attack the middle class.
Comment by Grandson of Man Wednesday, Dec 20, 17 @ 9:52 am
In 2014, I typed on this very page, that I believed that Bruce Rauner was dangerous. Voting for him meant putting Illinois on a destructive path. I was roundly mocked.
I don’t get to say this very often, but I told you so!!!!
Comment by Try-4-Truth Wednesday, Dec 20, 17 @ 9:52 am
The quotation makes me think that Rauner and Emanuel are using the same play book. MRE claims that a politician should never let ” a good crisis go to waste.”
Comment by W Flag Wednesday, Dec 20, 17 @ 9:53 am
No no no no no Rich Miller
Don’t you give an inch
Madigan forged budgets
Which funded.
Maybe not in the way we wanted but….,
Rauner
Took
Hostages
Many of those hostages
Died
In that hostage situation
That “crisis”
You did a better job at recording those deaths
At memorializing those deaths
Than any other
Journalist
In Illinois
Not “fair enough”
Rauner didn’t get what he wanted
So he is denying that he took
Hostages. He lost the gamble.
Illinois is in shambles
Far far worse
Than anything that came before
Don’t you dare give
Moral equivalency
You honored the dead hostages
Don’t go back on that.
Comment by Honeybear Wednesday, Dec 20, 17 @ 9:55 am
Thwarting Radogno’s efforts on the grand bargain allowed the crisis Rauner attempted to leverage to go to waste, while simultaneously making it worse, regardless of who was responsible for creating the crisis in the first place.
Comment by AC Wednesday, Dec 20, 17 @ 9:55 am
Rauner can try and weasel out of his “ownership” of the budget crisis, but there were numerous other crises that he encouraged and financed (with our tax dollars). Most recently- SNAP, the VA home, Medicaid contracts, the Good Friday Massacre, etc., etc..
He tried to buy a “principled caucus”, and found out that money cannot buy everything. I just wonder how many millions he will be “investing” in those nine seats he needs, rather than his own seat this time around. I haven’t seen any massive millions being dumped into the ILGOP party’s coffers lately (if I’m wrong, I’ll gladly take the lashes). Maybe that will come after the primary if he wins. Then again, maybe not. It depends, IMO, which is more important in the long run- the court cases or re-mapping. Which will be the greater “legacy” for him to hang his cowboy hat/biker helmet on?
Comment by Anon221 Wednesday, Dec 20, 17 @ 9:56 am
===What he told the Tribune yesterday doesn’t prove that he created the crisis, only that he tried to use it to get what he wanted===
Dear Rauner Crew,
The governor owns his vetoes.
Whine, cry, yell, swear, even push back…
Y’all knew the vetoes were used for leverage. Y’all know you enlisted the likes of Ken Dunkin to keep the leverage on, and you and Ms. Barbara Wheeler made clear, you both felt betrayed because the leverage was lifted.
Your push back… is as phony as the governor himself.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Dec 20, 17 @ 9:57 am
“Look, I didn’t start the fire in the house. It was already burning when I moved in. The fact that I stoked the flames and upped my homeowner’s insurance policy is besides the point.”
Comment by Montrose Wednesday, Dec 20, 17 @ 9:59 am
A lot of lives were damaged by Rauner’s actions. That damage would have worsened for many and more would have suffered because a rich guy wanted to have his way. To me, the principled legislators were those who finally voted to stop this carnage.
VOTE ACCORDINGLY
Comment by Norseman Wednesday, Dec 20, 17 @ 10:01 am
How did Rauner not create the crisis? His fingerprints are all over it. Did he ever actually vote to approve a budget? No. He actively created the crisis by vetoing budgets that were passed. Economist Joseph Schumpeter might have called Rauner’s actions an example of “creative destruction.”
Just because Rauner denies his guilt does not mean he is not guilty. He is the Grinch personified.
Comment by Scamp640 Wednesday, Dec 20, 17 @ 10:04 am
Is there some reasonable dispute that Rauner didn’t create the crisis? On what planet?
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Dec 20, 17 @ 10:04 am
Will Governor Rauner refuse to sign a 2018 budget in anticipation of November 2018?
What sort of budget will Governor Rauner submit in February with the Ives of March looming?
Comment by Hamlet's Ghost Wednesday, Dec 20, 17 @ 10:06 am
Facts:
-Rauner said “crisis creates opportunity. Crisis creates leverage…”
-A crisis occurred.
-During the crisis, he state repeatedly that the damage resulting from the crisis was “worth it” to achieve his goals.
-The crisis was resolved despite his efforts to keep it going.
-He now says “we the opportunity for a massive transformation. We lost that.”
End of facts.
Deductions derived from the facts:
The previous opportunity he referred to was the crisis. Losing that opportunity (crisis) was a loss.
The crisis was created for the purpose of achieving a goal. The crisis was resolved over objection, and the goal was not achieved.
The crisis was intentionally created. People were intentionally hurt.
Comment by Emily Miller Wednesday, Dec 20, 17 @ 10:07 am
There is no we in Rauner, which is exactly why he has been a complete failure.
Comment by Angry Republican Wednesday, Dec 20, 17 @ 10:08 am
Failed Rauner plan:
1. Buy Republican party.
2. Create crisis.
3. ???
4. Profit.
Why wouldn’t he want to own that? It was his plan all along.
Comment by Keyrock Wednesday, Dec 20, 17 @ 10:09 am
“Will Governor Rauner refuse to sign a 2018 budget in anticipation of November 2018?”
I predict this spring’s session will be epic. Budget address on Ash Wednesday, fittingly enough.
Comment by Nick Name Wednesday, Dec 20, 17 @ 10:19 am
==Is there some reasonable dispute that Rauner didn’t create the crisis? On what planet?==
I’m with sling on this. How valid could their argument have possibly been to convince you that he didn’t create the crisis? What exactly did this “hard push back” entail? I could see that argument being valid only for the pension deficit (even though he’s made it worse) and the debt (even though he’s made it $12 Billion worse.
Comment by Lester Holt’s Mustache Wednesday, Dec 20, 17 @ 10:27 am
OK. I understand now. Rauner admits he is responsible for the budget crisis and the failure of his agenda. Oh no, wait. The Republicans in the General Assembly are responsible. No, wait, Rahm is responsible. No, wait, a video is responsible. Hold on, Manar and Mautino are responsible. Don’t blame Rauner. He’s only the Governor.
Comment by Alton Giant Wednesday, Dec 20, 17 @ 10:29 am
The crisis was intentionally created by Rauner. It was worth it to him if he could achieve his objectives, a large part which was to suppress wages and increase profits for those like him. He was willing to let the state’s economic health deteriorate to achieve his agenda. The bond rating decreases to near junk status and the enormous debt that resulted from his deliberate actions, all for nothing. Now someone needs to come in and repair the damage he caused. Any tax increase coming will be larger than it would otherwise have had to be because under Rauner we spent a lot more money than we had coming in because he deliberately created chaos. He complained about the unbalanced budget but when he had the opportunity to use his amendatory veto power to balance it he basically said that he wasn’t going to take that responsibility upon himself. He requested that the tax increase be allowed to expire and that he could make things work with the 3.75% rate. He knew better and that’s why I believe from the start the crisis was all part of his plan, it was indeed intentional.
Comment by Dude Abides Wednesday, Dec 20, 17 @ 10:39 am
== The bond rating decreases to near junk status and the enormous debt that resulted from his deliberate actions, all for nothing. ==
Not for nothing. His 1.4% buddies got to buy high yielding GO bonds …
Comment by RNUG Wednesday, Dec 20, 17 @ 10:41 am
The Castrado whines about how unfair he’s been treated. He gives rotten to the core politicians a bad name.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Dec 20, 17 @ 10:46 am
“I didn’t start the blaze — I just turned away all of the firetrucks until the buildings that I wanted burned to the ground were, finally, burned to the ground.”
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
– MrJM
Comment by @misterjayem Wednesday, Dec 20, 17 @ 10:47 am
Dude- not only that but Rauner found and used every available bit of stored, stashed, saved, appropriated money we had in our agencies
We are husks
Rauner via Munger and agency heads
Cleaned out all accounts
Got the change out of the couch and raided the kids piggy banks
For the Meth of Labor destruction
For the Heroin of an anarchic administrative state
For the OxyContin of “economic growth”
Comment by Honeybear Wednesday, Dec 20, 17 @ 10:51 am
Think Deep Purple have this covered …
https://g.co/kgs/QfSefB
Comment by RNUG Wednesday, Dec 20, 17 @ 10:54 am
What accomplishments did Emanuel allegedly help Rauner with before Laquan McDonald?
Comment by TominChicago Wednesday, Dec 20, 17 @ 10:59 am
Nobody wanted the transformation he was offering.
Comment by NoGifts Wednesday, Dec 20, 17 @ 11:46 am
= The governor’s office pushed back hard this morning against part of my subscriber edition that used the above quote. What he told the Tribune yesterday doesn’t prove that he created the crisis, only that he tried to use it to get what he wanted. Fair enough.=
So will the Governor’s staff admit that every time Bruce Rauner blames Mike Madigan for something, that it really isn’t Madigan’s fault? Bruce is just saying its Madigan’s fault to try and get what he wants…. which is Madigan gone.
Like the Governor doesn’t believe what he says, but if he repeats it enough, then people will believe it. And now the entire Republican Party platform is based on Madigan.
{sigh} The more people talk, the more likely they are to contradict themselves because the person saying the stuff usually thinks they are smartest person in the room. Chatter is tactical approach used during investigations.
Comment by Sigh Wednesday, Dec 20, 17 @ 11:50 am
Churchill didn’t lament the end of the war because he wanted everyone to own and drive their own nuclear-powered car.
Roosevelt didn’t lament the end of the Great Depression because he hadn’t gotten to the letter “Z” in creating a new Federal agency.
Leaders don’t hope terrible things to happen until their proposals are finally accepted by the exhausted citizenry.
I don’t care who started it, but lamenting the end of our budget crisis before he won the crisis is a terrible thing for Bruce Rauner to do.
Governors are supposed to cheer tragedies, hoping that we suffer so much, the suffering they’re proposing doesn’t seem bad anymore.
Bruce Rauner is the Worst Republican Governor in America, the worst Illinois governor ever, and a heartless Scrooge.
Comment by VanillaMan Wednesday, Dec 20, 17 @ 2:41 pm
You mention Churchill. Like another and very different twentieth-century Leader, Rauner blames his failure on his followers who were unworthy of his great vision.
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 2:15 am
if we had a principled caucus, insulting the downstate GOP voters for their vote
Comment by Rabid Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 7:48 am