Gov. Bruce Rauner PHOTO BY Nancy Stone/Chicago Tribune/TNS “We’re going to pay what we need to bring in talented people,” said Illinois’ new governor to reporters on Jan. 23. He was defending the many six-figure salaries he’s offered to the people he wants to handle the pumps and keep afloat a State of Illinois that is […]
Bruce Rauner
Posted inOpinion
Will Rauner compromise or compete with Madigan?
Last December, Bruce Rauner appeared on a WLS Radio talk show program and revealed that he planned to form a new campaign committee to counter the power of Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. “We’re gonna raise a PAC, we’re gonna raise a fund dedicated to the state Legislature, members of both parties who take the […]
Posted inOpinion
A two-faced race
Some of you will read this column before the election, and some of you will read it after. I suppose I could’ve written two columns, but I’ve been kinda busy, so let’s talk about one of the weirdest things that happened this campaign season. Earlier this year, ultraconservative activist Jack Roeser told me that his […]
Posted inOpinion
Rauner’s tax fantasy doesn’t add up
The most important question asked of Bruce Rauner during last week’s gubernatorial debate in Peoria was posed by Jamey Dunn-Thomason of Illinois Issues. My pal pointed out that Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback (R) had cut taxes across the board on the theory that it would boost the state’s economy. His idea hasn’t worked. What’s happened […]
Posted inOpinion
The shape of Illinois leadership to come
OK, so what we’re gonna do today is discuss some congressional races that you may or may not care about in order to talk about the governor’s race, which you probably do care about since you’re reading this column. First up, let’s look at freshman Democratic Congressman Brad Schneider, who is leading former one-term Republican […]
Posted inOpinion
And the race continues
Just a quick note to Bruce Rauner: The next time you try to claim that Gov. Pat Quinn is “personally” under federal investigation (an allegation that, as far as anyone can tell, is not true), it’s probably best not to say it while standing next to a different governor who actually is “personally” under federal […]
Posted inOpinion
Dangerous propositions
Bruce Rauner, a Republican candidate for governor of Illinois. PHOTO BY TERRENCE ANTONIO JAMES/MCT It was sometime just after the new millennium, I think, that Illinois political leaders first started to resemble the first guy through the broken store window crying “Justice!” while looting a TV set. The thought occurred to me while reading about […]
Posted inOpinion
Rauner ruse or candor
“We should have billions of dollars every year as part of our budget process … (to) maintain and expand our infrastructure,” Bruce Rauner said last week, according to the Chicago Tribune. Rauner has been doing his best to woo the road builders all year, and he was speaking to the Illinois Farm Bureau, which has […]
Posted inOpinion
Promote the vote
Some recent Chicago Tribune poll results appear to indicate that support for raising the minimum wage in the state’s largest city may be enough to increase voter turnout for a nonbinding November ballot referendum. The poll found that 84 percent of registered Chicago voters support a city task force recommendation to increase the minimum wage […]
Posted inOpinion
Fair share for Edgar?!
I’m not sure why, but the surprise appearance by former Gov. Jim Edgar at the Illinois State Fair’s Republican Day last week didn’t generate much media coverage. Despite the fact that Edgar is a Republican, this was not an easy “get” for Republican gubernatorial nominee Bruce Rauner. I’m told it took weeks of careful wooing […]
Posted inOpinion
Positively Pat
Gov. Pat Quinn’s new TV ad is 60 seconds of one positive message after another. “Pat Quinn sees problems, takes action and gets the job done,” the ad claims. “Now, Illinois is making a comeback,” it continues. But the spot is being slammed by longtime campaign insiders in both parties as “spitting in the wind.” […]
Posted inOpinion
Magic money? Rauner’s state savings
“Today, I laid out more than $1 billion in structural reforms,” Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner boasted to his supporters via a blast email last week. Baloney. Rauner’s press conference to announce a billion dollars in alleged budget savings was an almost total farce. Fully half of what Rauner said he could save – $500 […]
