PHOTO BY ALAN SOLOMON/TNS Last year, gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner pledged to “crack down on waste” in government in order to save taxpayers over $140 million. He also vowed to cut $500 million from the Illinois Department of Central Management Services and find another $250 million in Medicaid savings. Very little of that has happened […]
Capitol Fax
Posted inOpinion
A Statehouse divided
PHOTO BY ALAN SOLOMON/TNS The Illinois Senate had been scheduled to return to Springfield on Oct. 6 after not being in session since Sept. 9. But last week the Senate President postponed session until Oct. 20. The reason is pretty straightforward. The Senate has overridden several gubernatorial vetoes. It’s pretty easy for the majority party because the chamber […]
Posted inOpinion
Rauner continues to skirt responsibility
Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner is proving to be quite adept at skirting responsibility for the current Statehouse impasse and impending government shutdown. He has relentlessly painted himself as the good guy, even to the point of blatantly abandoning his previous stances. For instance, Rauner has righteously slammed the Democrats’ “unconstitutional” unbalanced budget, even though his […]
Posted inOpinion
Rauner’s TV ad is all bark, no bite
Gov. Bruce Rauner’s much-anticipated TV ad isn’t as over-the-top negative as we might have thought it would be. “Exactly,” was the response from a Rauner official I spoke with after watching the ad and making that above observation about its somewhat muted tone. “There’s plenty of time for that if it’s necessary,” the official added. […]
Posted inOpinion
Statehouse misunderstandings
After five months, you’d think that the warring parties at the Illinois Statehouse would have learned something about each other. Instead, last week’s bitter and divisive House overtime session showed that they still fundamentally misunderstand one another. What follows are some questions I’m hearing and my own responses. Republicans: Why would the House Democrats propose […]
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Rauner’s secret, legislative ‘working groups’
I recently obtained a document distributed by the governor’s office detailing the membership list and meeting times and locations of the secret state legislative “working groups.” The governor’s office has insisted that not only should legislators dummy up about what goes on at the groups’ meetings – which are designed to forge compromises on the […]
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Dissecting Schock’s downfall
Congressman Aaron Schock’s resignation is not only a blow to national Republicans, for whom Schock raised millions, but also to Illinois Republicans. Just eight weeks ago, Schock was widely believed to be next in line to chair the National Republican Congressional Committee. But his rapid fall from grace ruined his career and deprived the NRCC […]
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A softer, neo-liberal form of Raunerism
A newly formed group of self-described “center-left” Democrats claims to have secured $20 million in commitments to spend on state legislative races here. But that $20 million apparently isn’t meant to counter Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner’s infamous $20 million campaign stash, which he says will be used to support his allies and punish his enemies. […]
Posted inOpinion
Bruce’s budget address boo-boo
A rookie mistake has led to some big problems. House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton both believed that Gov. Bruce Rauner would ask to postpone the scheduled Feb. 18 budget address. The current fiscal year’s outlook was so incredibly dire (by the Democrats’ own making), that the veteran Democratic leaders figured Rauner […]
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Another reckless, delusional budget
After he was elected, but before he was sworn in to office, Bruce Rauner repeatedly lambasted Gov. Pat Quinn and the legislative Democrats for passing a “booby trap” budget that was about to blow up in the state’s collective face. Rauner was absolutely right. Last year’s budget was irresponsible and didn’t deal with the reality […]
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Rauner’s labor attacks continue
More than a few Statehouse types have been wondering aloud for weeks what Gov. Bruce Rauner is up to with his almost daily attacks on organized labor. Just what, they ask, is the end game here? His people say that the governor feels “liberated” since the election to speak his mind about a topic which […]
Posted inOpinion
A liberated Rauner lets loose
I don’t believe I’ve ever seen a governor openly and loudly laughed at on the House floor. At least not while he was present. Gov. Bruce Rauner was doing pretty well with his legislative audience during his first State of the State address last week, delivering strong applause lines with his refreshing calls for bipartisanship. […]
