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* Columnist George Will essentially endorsed Bruce Rauner for governor in 2014…
Illinois voters can choose Rauner and term limits, or the acceleration of stagnation and the end of the pleasure of complaining.
* And Will was ecstatic about Rauner’s inauguration in February of 2015…
The most portentous election of 2014, which gave the worst-governed state its first Republican governor in 12 years, has initiated this century’s most intriguing political experiment. Illinois has favored Democratic presidential candidates by an average of 16 points in the last six elections. But by electing businessman Bruce Rauner, it initiated a process that might dismantle a form of governance that afflicts many states and municipalities.
* And when the impasse was really hitting home in August of 2016, Will stuck up for his guy…
Seated in his office in Chicago, wearing neither a necktie nor a frown, Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner is remarkably relaxed for someone at the epicenter of a crisis now in its second year and with no end in sight. But, then, stress is pointless when the situation is hopeless. Besides, if you can ignore the fact that self-government is failing in the nation’s fifth-most populous state, you can see real artistry in the self-dealing by the Democrats who, with veto-proof majorities in the state Legislature, have reduced this state they control to insolvency.
* And then Will framed Rauner’s reelection in November of 2017…
“I love a fight,” says an ebullient Rauner, whose rhetoric cannot get much more pugnacious. He calls Madigan “the worst elected official in the country” and Madigan’s machine “evil.” The nation has a huge stake in this brawl because the “blue model” is bankrupting cities and states from Connecticut to California, so its demolition here, where it has done the most damage, would be a wondrous story enhancing the nation’s glory.
Maseng Communications, which is run by Will’s wife, Mari Maseng Will, was given a contract by the Rauner campaign this past spring.
* June 27, 2018…
Talking with @GeorgeWill about #Janus and other recent developments. #twill pic.twitter.com/WIBdYm0Ql0
— Governor Rauner (@GovRauner) June 27, 2018
* George Will column on July 5, 2018…
The Supreme Court is especially admirable when correcting especially deplorable prior decisions, as with the 1954 school desegregation decision rejecting a 1896 decision’s “separate but equal” doctrine. It did so again June 27, overturning a 41-year-old precedent inimical to the First Amendment.
* Gov. Rauner press release today…
Gov. Bruce Rauner today announced the 2019 recipients of the Order of Lincoln, which is the state’s highest honor for professional achievement and public service.
“These distinguished individuals make us proud to be Illinoisans,” Rauner said. “They have honored us with their achievements in medicine, business, the arts, the law and sports, so it is only fitting and proper to bestow upon them the state’s highest honor.” […]
“While the recipients’ work spans many fields, all have the traits of Abraham Lincoln in common,” Rauner said. “They possess tremendous talent. They are great leaders, great community servants and great lovers of Illinois.” […]
George F. Will is a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist for the Washington Post who also is a regular contributor to NBC News and MSNBC. Will is also a prolific writer of books about national and international relations, politics, government, and the sport of baseball. Titles include “The Pursuit of Happiness and Other Sobering Thoughts,” “Statecraft as Soulcraft,” and “One Man’s America: The Pleasures and Provocations of Our Singular Nation.” Will was named Best Writer by the Washington Journalism Review in 1985 and one of the 25 most influential Washington journalists by the National Journal in 1997. He grew up in Champaign.
…Adding… I changed the headline because the governor has no direct role in naming these awards. From the governor’s office…
The Lincoln Academy of Illinois is a not-for-profit, nonpartisan, and self-perpetuating organization established in 1964 to recognize the outstanding contributions made by living Illinois citizens, whether by birth or by residence.
The laureates are selected at a called meeting of the Regents and General Trustees, a group of no more than sixty distinguished Illinoisans in attendance, from the nominees submitted. There is a vote to determine those most deserving to honor as Laureates of the Academy, thereby conferring upon them the Order of Lincoln.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Jul 12, 18 @ 2:14 pm
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It’s an award, George Will has won numerous awards throughout his long career.
It’s anothef award.
If Rauner is able to award this honor to Will, then he can, and Will should be proud to be honored.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jul 12, 18 @ 2:21 pm
Ugh…..I think just threw up a little on my mouth.
Comment by Honeybear Thursday, Jul 12, 18 @ 2:22 pm
===Maseng Communications, which is run by Will’s wife, Mari Maseng Will, was given a contract by the Rauner campaign this past spring.===
It’s so gross.
Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Jul 12, 18 @ 2:22 pm
What did Will think about Rauner’s CU bashing? Was his hero spot on???
Comment by Anon221 Thursday, Jul 12, 18 @ 2:23 pm
Abraham Lincoln: “Labor is prior to, and independent of, capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if labor had not first existed. Labor is the superior of capital, and deserves much the higher consideration.” But yeah Bruce, keep giving the Lincoln award to a guy who hates collective bargaining as much as you.
Comment by Stark Thursday, Jul 12, 18 @ 2:24 pm
Will has wrote some scathing commentaries on Illinois Government. Break out your dictionary before reading his articles…
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Jul 12, 18 @ 2:30 pm
George Will: How much hate do you have to have for unions that you compare Janus to Brown vs. Bd. of Education???
Comment by Anonimity Thursday, Jul 12, 18 @ 2:32 pm
“Seated in his office in Chicago, wearing neither a necktie nor a frown, Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner is remarkably relaxed for someone at the epicenter of a crisis now in its second year and with no end in sight.”
It is easy to be relaxed if you are not in charge./s
Comment by G'Kar Thursday, Jul 12, 18 @ 2:35 pm
Here’s something that I just noticed in Rauner’s press release about the recipients: “They have honored us with their achievements in medicine, business, the arts, the law and sports.”
And George Will fits that bill… how, exactly?
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Jul 12, 18 @ 2:47 pm
===“…achievements in medicine, business, the arts, the law and sports.”===
My take is his work in field of writing, be it criticism, or in the writings of opinion, even his writings about baseball, dubious but celebrated nonetheless, Will’s work which has been recognized as influential, that is possibly the basis to make such an award(?)
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jul 12, 18 @ 2:51 pm
===And George Will fits that bill… how, exactly?===
He wrote a book about baseball once.
Comment by Nick Name Thursday, Jul 12, 18 @ 2:53 pm
Isn’t George Will the smart guy conservative (he wears glasses and uses fancy words) who despises Trump and is telling people to not vote for Republicans in the midterms?
Comment by Henry Francis Thursday, Jul 12, 18 @ 2:56 pm
Really, Mr. Will decided to compare “forcing” people to pay for a benefit they are getting to segregation? Ugh.
Comment by Perrid Thursday, Jul 12, 18 @ 2:56 pm
Will is a Nancy Reagan conservative who jumped the shark when she left the White House in 1989.
He’s our Andy Warhol, that is, if Andy Warhol sat on his brushes and never bothered to pulled them back out.
Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, Jul 12, 18 @ 2:57 pm
Will can be impressive from time to time, but:
“…taxes: bad…unions: bad…term limits: good…veto-proof majority…”
He is too much in thrall to ideology to even begin to grasp the subtle complexities of Illinois politics. Madigan’s famed “veto-proof majority” achieved exactly how many overrides, Mr. Will? Did you even bother to Google that? And can you make a case for how “the nation’s fifth-most populous state” was supposed to conduct its business on a paltry 3.5 percent flat tax?
And I want a detailed explanation of how two and a half years of budget impasse benefited Illinois and made it fiscally sound. Show your work.
This is shameful. Plus, as someone above pointed out, Janus is on a par with Brown v. Board of Education? Seriously? AFSCME has a lot of African American members: how much will they and their families be hurt by SCOTUS’ endorsement of Janus’ bogus claim that his free speech rights were violated?
Comment by Nick Name Thursday, Jul 12, 18 @ 3:06 pm
George Will urged a vote for Sean Carsten, Betsy Dirksen Londrigan, Brendan Kelly, and Lauren Underwood. Hope Rauner and Will are asked about that.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/vote-against-the-gop-this-november/2018/06/22/a6378306-7575-11e8-b4b7-308400242c2e_story.html?utm_term=.2c86676498af
Comment by Contract disputin’ Thursday, Jul 12, 18 @ 3:09 pm
I’m surprised that George isn’t wearing his powdered wig.
Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, Jul 12, 18 @ 3:09 pm
Seeing Will with Rauner is like seeing Truman Capote with Al Capone.
Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, Jul 12, 18 @ 3:13 pm
“He grew up in Champaign.”
Rauner: “Never heard of it…”
Comment by Don Gerard Thursday, Jul 12, 18 @ 3:57 pm
===The laureates are selected at a called meeting of the Regents and General Trustees, a group of no more than sixty distinguished Illinoisans in attendance, from the nominees submitted. There is a vote to determine those most deserving to honor as Laureates of the Academy, thereby conferring upon them the Order of Lincoln.===
If you haven’t been to a Lincoln Academy event, you really must put it on your social calendar. It’s white tie and tails, with lots of diplomatic medals and sashes and everything.
Diana will probably fit in better than Bruce. My guess is they won’t have cans of Stag on hand and his biker vest would NOT be appropriate.
Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Jul 12, 18 @ 4:56 pm
An interesting choice Peter Roskam probably disapproves of . . .
On June 22nd George Will wrote that everyone should vote against GOP candidates for Congress
“Vote Against the GOP this November”
Quote: The congressional Republican caucuses must be substantially reduced.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/vote-against-the-gop-this-november/2018/06/22/a6378306-7575-11e8-b4b7-308400242c2e_story.html?utm_term=.32e5606bef8b
Comment by Hamlet's Ghost Thursday, Jul 12, 18 @ 5:15 pm
Maseng Communications, which is run by Will’s wife, Mari Maseng Will, was given a contract by the Rauner campaign this past spring.
Really shakin’ things up.
Comment by Anon Thursday, Jul 12, 18 @ 7:23 pm
Vanilla Man - LOL - thank you for the powdered wig image
Comment by Anon Thursday, Jul 12, 18 @ 7:24 pm
Wonder how the trustees get their names ? Yellow pages
Comment by Annonin" Friday, Jul 13, 18 @ 8:30 am
=And George Will fits that bill… how, exactly?=
It doesn’t unless you are referring to the consulting bill.
Comment by JS Mill Friday, Jul 13, 18 @ 9:17 am