Grassroots Collaborative Responds to Governor Rauner’s Irresponsible Budget Strategy and Ad Campaign
As Illinois Republican Governor Bruce Rauner shepherds in his first state budget, he is choosing an irresponsible “who blinks first” approach. He either gets his Turnaround Agenda, which includes gutting worker’s compensation, undercutting union rights, and expanding charter schools or residents should prepare for cuts in services and programs that will hurt everyone but the state’s most wealthy.
In an effort to get his way, Gov. Rauner is launching a nearly one million-dollar statewide ad campaign to paint the General Assembly’s two Democratic leaders—House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton—as only looking out for the “political class” and not the “middle class.”
A much better use of the governor’s time and money would be to sit down with state legislators at the bargaining table and hash out a budget that entails revenue-generating alternatives to cuts.
“Change in Springfield isn’t easy. But you didn’t send me here to do what’s easy. With your help, I’m going to keep fightin’ to grow our economy, and fix our broken state government,” says Rauner in his ad.
Contrary to the governor’s beliefs, the only mandate he and the General Assembly have is to pass a budget that is fair and equitable to everyone in Illinois—whether they are rich or poor, young or old, healthy or disabled, live in the Chicago metropolitan area or south of I-80.
Through his behavior Governor Rauner is showing he is more interested in politics and campaigning than actually governing and passing a budget. To put non-budget items on the table as a prerequisite for negotiating responsible budget solutions is completely disingenuous.
Political campaign type ads, news conferences, speeches and statements are not going to get Illinois residents a fair budget. What will stop the looming government shutdown is for the governor to stop the hubris and for our legislative leaders to stop talking at each other but to each other. The budget is not a war of wills, but a document that reflects the state’s priorities and affects everyday people’s lives. The only winners in this contest should be the people of Illinois.
About Post Author
