CHICAGO | Politics and Current Events

[the urban politician]

Originally Posted by Ch.G, Ch.G

I also noticed that fire fighter and police officer unions are exempt from his pension-cutting plans.

^ It's a "white male demographic" thing. Republicans often seem to not tamper with those particular unions. See Scott Walker a couple of years ago.

[SamInTheLoop]

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.

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......

[SamInTheLoop]

Originally Posted by ardecila

Rauner's budget seems to weigh heavily on Chicago, between cuts to direct aid to cities and the cuts to transit agencies and Amtrak.

Not what I expected out of a pro-business governor - is he also planning to cut IDOT's budget for road maintenance? What about raiding some of the Tollway's rich coffers to cover the state's shortfall? We can't do that, of course, because drivers rely on roads to get to work! While transit riders are degenerates!

Rauner should take an example from Rick Snyder in Michigan and encourage transportation investments of all kinds as a way to encourage that growth he keeps promising. To be fair, Rauner hasn't taken the knuckle-dragging stance of other Republican governors yet, but he keeps edging closer. The indifference displayed toward working-class people and even elites who rely on transit services is disappointing but not surprising for somebody with such privilege.

If these cuts go through, I hope CTA responds by raising fares instead of cutting service. Ventra means that the fares don't need to be a round number - they can increase fares by the 11 or 12 cents they need.

Agree. With. Every. Single. Word. Period.

[sentinel]

Well, don't blame me, I voted for Kodos er, Quinn.

Frankly, how did no one expect some shit like this from Rauner?? He's essentially a smarter, wealthier Scott Walker (and that's working out so well for the folks north of the Cheddar curtain).

[SamInTheLoop]

^ Well, I thought indeed he would certainly be smarter than Walker (WI's economy - eg job growth has indeed stumbed badly - and is far, far short of his projections when arguing for and implementing his anti-growth policies), and also definitely smarter than what we heard yesterday.....

[Chicago103]

Like or dislike Chuy Garcia the first minute and five seconds of this ad is an awesome piece of uplifting Chicago civic patriotism that I have rarely seen in a Chicago mayoral campaign. I only wish this was airing on TV, maybe in a runoff.

• Video Link

[SamInTheLoop]

Good for her. What is it though, that we should be reading into this?

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/artic...s-budget-plans

[SamInTheLoop]

So, has Rahm come out and bashed Rauner's budget yet? If so, I can't imagine why not - the politics for it would certainly be overwelming, and with four days to go and closing in on avoiding a run-off Tuesday, he probably should go ahead and do so......

[ardecila]

Walker had a track record as a public official before he became governor - voters had no excuse and should not have been surprised by Walker's moves once in Madison.

Rauner on the other hand was a political unknown. Illinois and Wisconsin are very different states politically, there was no reason to suspect that Rauner would be any more of a right-wing ideologue than Chris Christie or Andrew Cuomo (yes he's technically a Dem), who are both pretty moderate by the standards of today's GOP.

[ardecila]

Well, it establishes Rauner's conservative credentials and defines the territory for negotiations. Why would Cullerton and Madigan bother to play ball with Rauner if he doesn't establish his 'testicular fortitude'?

[Steely Dan]

With 70% of precincts reporting, Rahm is only at 45%.

Looks like a run-off is in the works.

[the urban politician]

So far Rahm is at 45%

I'm feeling a runoff....

[the urban politician]

^ Actually, Chuy is doing way better than I expected. He is at around 34%. He's a viable contender in a runoff. Chicago could very well have its first Hispanic mayor...

[the urban politician]

80% of precincts reporting and still at 45%.

Unless they haven't started counting the north lakefront, this is almost certainly going to be a run off election.

When is the last time Chicago has had a runoff?

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

When is the last time Chicago has had a runoff?

I can't remember there ever being a run-off for mayor before.

There's a 1st time for everything.

[Randomguy34]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

I can't remember there ever being a run-off for mayor before.

There's a 1st time for everything.

Yup, WGN confirmed that this is Chicago's first runoff. Odd to think that this is the first one for Chicago even though the city is more than 175 years old.

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by Randomguy34

Yup, WGN confirmed that this is Chicago's first runoff. Odd to think that this is the first one for Chicago even though the city is more than 175 years old.

The city only switched to the non-partisan 50%+1 or there's a run-off format for mayoral elections sometime in the 1990s.

[Via Chicago]

Woo, another 2 months of fliers clogging my mailbox.

Guess Ill have to cut chuy a check. He's gonna need it. Actually interested to see him lay out his plan over the coming weeks. Anti Rahm isn't enough, even if I identify with it

[the urban politician]

It's interesting to see how these two will duke it out.

My guess is that Rahm is going to strike a very conciliatory, liberal, pro-union tone while Chuy is going to just attack the shit out of Rahm over the next 6 weeks.

[SamInTheLoop]

^ Generally agree. Also am surprised at Chuy's 34%, which I think was much better than his polling in the 20s - at most 25ish%......

Which actually makes me think that the conventional wisdom (I was thinking this earlier as well) going in - that lower turnout would help wrong might indeed have been dead-wrong......if you think about it, the most motivated voters in this contest probably have either anti-Rahm in general or anti-Rahm, pro-Chuy sentiment, so lower turnout (and by all accounts this one seemed to be exceptionally low) specifically hurt Rahm and helped Chuy I think.....my guess is that Rahm's people also now truly realize this - if they hadn't previously - and will do everything they can to encourage a much higher turnout in the runoff....

At any rate, I'm glad Chicago might actually have a real election/some real democracy/an actual choice and a good debate/discussion of the issues (well, we'll see on that one!) for a change.......