Watching Gov. Bruce Rauner flailing about trying to save face while Democrat leaders refuse to play Turnaround call to mind Chicagoan Finley Peter Dunne’s 1895 quote, “Politics ain’t bean-bag.” Politics is a complex and sophisticated game, in other words, and those who aren’t good at it can do a lot of harm. Contrary to all those who are calling to get politics out of state budget negotiations, we need to put more – and better – politics in. A more skillful governor could have gotten a budget and reforms a long time ago, but this one has only backed himself into a corner. Dunne wrote back then that politics is “a man’s game” and women, children, prohibitionists and others should stay out of it. Today’s list would include politically inexperienced wealthy businessmen. –Fletcher Farrar, editor and publisher
This article appears in Dec 8-14, 2016.
