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* You should read the whole thing to see how they get there, but here’s the SJ-R’s conclusion…
This is a race where we wish there were other options. It comes down to this: Illinois residents need a governor who will work to stop the longtime Statehouse tradition of spending more than the state takes in. We need a strong advocate for the structural changes that are necessary to put Illinois on a better trajectory, and who doesn’t immediately turn to increasing taxes as the way to accomplish that.
Democrats are likely to remain in control of the General Assembly, and we don’t believe Pritzker will buck his own party if need be, or push for meaningful changes in how state government operates.
Rauner can serve as a check against one-party rule. He remains the best candidate to push for the reforms Illinois needs. We’re holding out a kernel of faith that he has finally embraced the business sensibility of adapting when one approach doesn’t work.
As we, with reservations, endorse Rauner for a second term, we challenge him to actively pursue steady incremental change, and to create and lead bipartisan coalitions to solve the problems facing the state.
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 3:36 pm
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Endorsements are pass/fail. Rauner passed.
Comment by Texas Red Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 3:38 pm
Sorry SJ-R, but that is a lot of bunk.
Comment by Blue Dog Dem Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 3:39 pm
=we challenge him to actively pursue steady incremental change, and to create and lead bipartisan coalitions to solve the problems facing the state.=
we challenge him to completely change. There, fixed it. What a bunch of corporate ignoramuses.
Comment by Duopoly Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 3:40 pm
That should tick off some state workers
Comment by Glengarry Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 3:40 pm
==Illinois residents need a governor who will work to stop the longtime Statehouse tradition of spending more than the state takes in.==
So they endorse the only candidate who has spent more than the state has taken in….without the help of a tax increase.
Comment by Moby Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 3:41 pm
So in order to stop the “tradition” of spending more than is brought in, they endorsed the guy that spent — waaaaay — more than was brought in and without legal authority to do so?
Comment by Anon Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 3:41 pm
That two highly questionable endorsements from the sj-r in two days. Regarding this one- their readership contains a great number of state employees, lobbyists, vendors and their employees,social service agency employees and families of all the above, along with at least 1 college campus. All of which have suffered to varying degrees over the last 4 years. To me the sj-r let their political bias make their decisions.
Comment by thoughts matter Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 3:43 pm
This might be the strongest case one could make for Rauner, and that tells us a lot because it’s quite weak.
They omit the pain and damage on Illinois residents that Rauner’s self-made budget impasse inflicted. You can’t overlook this, because it was severe an unprecedented.
Pritzker should be more specific in his plans and his vision for things like a progressive income tax, even though the specifics won’t ultimately be his choice. But it’s clear that we need it; while the SJR claims we can’t solve the problem by hiking taxes, they fail to back up that claim. Because if we’re going to pay our debts, we have to either raise revenue and/or cut spending. They don’t say what spending should be cut, and for good reason. As the right-wing IPI recently reported, there is less than 1% “waste/fraud/abuse” in the state budget to be cut.
In other words, like it or not, we need additional revenue. Pritzker is the only one interested in pursuing this seriously, Rauner is not.
Comment by Techie Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 3:44 pm
“and we don’t believe Pritzker will buck his own party if need be, or push for meaningful changes in how state government operates.”
They aren’t the only one’s who think that, that is JB’s platform
Comment by Lucky Pierre Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 3:45 pm
Don’t get it. They endorse Rauner, and Raoul - maybe the like “Rs”. Can hardly imagine any voter who goes for Rauner and then Raoul.
Comment by DarkHorse Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 3:45 pm
“Why didn’t we think of this?”
- Fake Daily Herald.
… except the Daiky Herald knows Rauner is a Raunerite purposely hurting Illinois, as the SJR still “thinks” Rauner is a Republican.
It’s cute, actually.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 3:47 pm
Wow he Rauner wins he will destroy Sangamon County by raising insurance premiums on state employee insurance that will reduce their disposable income to a point that they will stop buying new cars and dinning out. There is the option to pay less and get a 6,000 deductible so they will stop going to the doctor which will end up damaging one of the best industries we have.
His 3 year budget impasse decistates local vendors thanks for tossing us under the bus SJR
Comment by Publius Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 3:48 pm
That was just pitiful. I’ve seen (a lot) better endorsements of student government candidates by college papers than this sad, limp thing.
Comment by Ray del Camino Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 3:49 pm
Yes, SJR, Rauner needs four more years of not being in charge.
Comment by IllinoisBoi Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 3:50 pm
For a paper located in the city that was hit hard by the impasse’s impact on state employees this is nothing short of laughable. Destroying the state’s finances in a two-year budget impasse is not equal to refusing to state how much rich people would pay under a progressive income tax. I don’t like the fact he evades it either but you know Gov. Loose with the Facts would have a field day with it if JB put out any rate of any kind.
Comment by Stark Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 3:50 pm
If this is a double post, my apologies.
Trying to correct my first comment. Two questionable endorsements in 3 days, not two. The attorney general endorsement was good.
Comment by thoughts matter Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 3:51 pm
Interesting, the SjR swimming against the current and fearing one-party rule enough to endorse him.
I still say Rauner needs to make up with Trump and go to Carbondale.
Nov 6 is going to be a crazy night.
(It is terribly unfortunate that Rauner spent most of his political capital repeating nonsense phrases, and executing his wife’s non-GOP agenda.)
Comment by cdog Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 3:53 pm
==For a paper located in the city that was hit hard by the impasse’s impact on state employees…==
That was my first thought too. Figure they’d support anyone expanding government.
Comment by City Zen Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 3:53 pm
=Democrats are likely to remain in control of the General Assembly, and we don’t believe Pritzker will buck his own party if need be, or push for meaningful changes in how state government operates.=
But the reality is that we don’t know what JB will or won’t do. We’ve seen what four years of Rauner look like and we have no reason to believe that the next four years would be any different than the first. Rauner hasn’t been a check on one party rule. He’s been a check on getting anything accomplished.
Comment by Pundent Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 3:53 pm
That’s the last straw. I have subscribed to this paper for the 30 years since I moved back to Springfield. Even with the rate increases and diminishing quality I stayed. No longer. Apparently the SJR is so situationally unaware that despite the damage this governor has caused to this community, they endorse him. I’m canceling effective immediately. Good luck to you SJR.
Comment by White Dynamite Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 3:54 pm
==to create and lead bipartisan coalitions to solve the problems facing the state==
If anyone’s known for creating and leading bipartisan coalitions, it’s Rauner /s
Comment by LakeCo Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 3:54 pm
Hmmm… I guess the dramatic “Enough is Enough” front page specials from SJ-R during the budget crisis were really meant to say… “Give Us Some More”
Comment by Concerned Dem Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 3:57 pm
Illinois residents need a governor who will fulfill their constitutionally assigned duties to propose a budget that is not guilty of spending more than the state takes in.
There fixed it for ya SJR.
Comment by Ole' Nelson Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 3:57 pm
=I’m canceling effective immediately.=
I’m not, as they say - keep your enemy close.
Comment by Deadbeat Conservative Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 3:58 pm
==I still say Rauner needs to make up with Trump==
Why? Are you under the impression that getting cozy with the President helps Rauner in any way in Illinois?
Comment by Demoralized Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 4:01 pm
who doesn’t immediately turn to increasing taxes as the way to accomplish that.
You would rather they kill some more time pretending that there is another way to fix out finances (ie another unconstitutional pension reform that will be struck down by the ISC) and then procedd to raise taxes? Bizarre wording from the SJR. Did the editorial board let a high school political science class draft this endorsement?
Comment by Ole' Nelson Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 4:02 pm
=Apparently the SJR is so situationally unaware that despite the damage this governor has caused to this community, they endorse him. =
The SJ-R’s owners aren’t from this community.
Comment by Deadbeat Conservative Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 4:03 pm
If you believe yourself to be a Republican…
… and you’re not understanding the Daily Herald and Crain’s versus… the SJR and the Trib Edit Board…
Take a real hard think about Raunerism and how you feel about it.
Oswego Willy
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 4:05 pm
** Figure they’d support anyone expanding government **
Sangamon County is generally a very red county, and that includes state workers.
Comment by MWNMNWWNM Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 4:06 pm
I do feel bad for the news reporters (at least those that are left) at places like the SJ-R and Trib. The institution is discredited when the ed board, which is the official voice of the paper, ignores so much evidence as to why someone like Rauner doesn’t deserve a second chance.
Heidi Stevens at the Trib recently wrote a column pleading for readers not to cancel because they don’t like the editorial positions of the paper.
Sorry, nowhere else in my life do I financially reward those who insult my intelligence and advocate in opposition to my values. Opinion columnists are one thing, the editorial page quite another.
If you want to be a house organ for a party, that’s fine. It’s your first amendment right. Just don’t cry that I should subsidize it.
Comment by Moe Berg Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 4:10 pm
They want him to embrace his “business sensibility” and try a new course?
His business sensibility is what got us in this mess. State government ain’t a business — you’d think the folks at the SJ-R newspaper would grasp that.
Comment by Roman Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 4:14 pm
The SJR editorial board continues to demonstrate its incompetence. That’s why I dropped the paper years ago.
Comment by Norseman Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 4:14 pm
Not too surprised, I suppose. Just look at how SJ-R owners/management treat their employees: No raises, cuts, etc. They (owners, etc.) are probably madly in love with Rauner given how he treats state employees and others.
Comment by Yiddishcowboy Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 4:15 pm
Uhhhh, nope.
Comment by Harvest76 Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 4:21 pm
I respect what the SJ-R is trying to say, that complete one-party rule is generally bad, especially in a state with financial problems like Illinois and a single entity (Madigan) with his hands on many of the levers. That’s the argument for flipping the US House, to give balance. Unfortunately, the SJ-R is also asking for the Governor to change, and he’s shown zero ability to change himself in any possible way. The GA ain’t gonna change, and neither is Rauner. So this is an endorsement for the status quo, unfortunately.
Comment by The_Equalizer Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 4:23 pm
He offered no check on anything in term one. Why would anything he would do more in term two…what a sad effort
Comment by Annonin' Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 4:25 pm
I would have thought that Sam McCann would have won the endorsement, on the heels of endorsing Steve Dutner (Libertarian) for SOS yesterday’s paper
Comment by Leatherneck Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 4:39 pm
So, you expect Rauner to be everything he wasn’t his first four years, and everything he has said he wouldn’t be the last couple of months.
Admit it SJ-R, you’d endorse and orangutan if it ran on the GOP ticket.
Comment by efudd Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 4:40 pm
I canceled my subscription to the SJR about 6 months ago in part because they raise their rates regularly and they have no credibility. This is one example, they never held Rauner accountable. They mention reigning in spending. Rauner ran bigger deficits than any Governor in history but he gets their endorsement.
Comment by The Dude Abides Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 4:40 pm
This reads like they started w their conclusion, and with great difficulty, worked their way back.
I subscribe for bernie, finke, and ala carte. With reservations.
Comment by Langhorne Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 4:41 pm
===Rauner can serve as a check against one-party rule.===
The big veto overrides in 2017 for the budget, a tax hike, and school funding were bipartisan votes.
Comment by Nick Name Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 4:45 pm
SJ-R has lost what little credibility they had this week.
Comment by Way South of I-80 Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 4:48 pm
Despite many disappointments like the Rauner endorsement, I still read the SJR sometimes. With reservations.
Comment by IllinoisBoi Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 4:48 pm
You’re gonna preach about the need for an executive that spends less than what the state takes in, then endorse the guy who tripled the state’s debt.
Seriously, how much Wild Turkey did it take to swallow that self-deception?
Comment by efudd Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 4:56 pm
Expected the corporate owned SJ-R editorial board to support Rauner and his obsessive anti-worker agenda. This endorsement is against the economic best interest of the majority of SJ-R readership and residents of greater Springfield.
Comment by kitty Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 4:59 pm
*never bothered to learn. Sorry.
Comment by Nick Name Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 5:00 pm
Langhorne, same. HS Sports isn’t even that good any more.
Comment by Arthur Andersen Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 5:05 pm
In the immortal words of Dennis Green - Rauner is who we thought he was. Four more years doesn’t change that. It doesn’t seem to matter to the SJ-R. They seem to be endorsing him on the misguided belief that he could do things that he clearly has shown no interest in.
Comment by Pundent Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 5:05 pm
How can they work in the same organization as Bernie and still not have a clue what is going on?
Comment by Ole' Nelson Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 5:08 pm
A GateHouse paper fearing one-party rule.
hahahahahahahahahahahaha
Comment by Michelle Flaherty Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 10:52 pm
With a columnist like Ed Rogers, what do you expect?
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 10:35 am