Quote:
Originally Posted by Ch.G, Ch.G
Agreed. Only the worst type of conservatives still believe that spending cuts alone are the solution. I haven't parsed it that much, but I did see that he isn't proposing any new revenue sources, which is nuts; in the very least, the timing is perfect for a gas tax hike.
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If this was a serious proposal, it was incredibly naive. Basically, what Rauner asked the Illinois economy to do is to turn around, bend over, say "Please, Mr. Private Equity", and enjoy a good 'brownbacking', full hillbilly-style. It was (and Rauner could very well turn out to be so himself, as a lot of republican businesspeople/investors often are - to the surprise of many simpletons who think that if some dude got himself rich, than his policies for the economy at large must be pro-growth, that running a business is obviously like running a government and devising economic policy, that if you've had some success managing a businesses, than those qualities would apply to leading a government and running an economy - duh!) completely ignorant of how macroeconomics actually works. This was certainly an anti-growth proposal, and also an anti-urban proposal, and also an anti working class/middle class proposal and a lot of supply-side nonsense in general. Significant revenue obviously needs to be part of the equation here. Everybody knows the long term structural pension issue is a major issue and needs to be fixed. This is not the way to get us there, and I don't think gets us there at any rate.
Let's hope this was a wildly right wing opening negotiating position. Otherwise, if this was serious, and an indication of things to come for the next 4 years, I - and many others - will I suspect quickly develop an acute case of voter's remorse......
Postscript: I'd like to see the forum's more Randian-disposed members (you guys know who you are - you're the ones who don't understand how macro works, or what makes for good fiscal, monetary and all other forms of public policy) employ their well-worn pretzel logic to defend what Rauner shitted out into the microphone yesterday......floor is open......