Not lead, but Rauner's drip, drip, drip of austerity still toxic

Michigan Governor Rick Snyder is getting national attention since the scandal over changing Flint's water supply from Lake Huron Pure to Flint River Lead. That represented a feather in Gov. Snyder's austerity cap, saving Michigan a cool $15 million. Alas, Flint River Lead, besides looking like molasses, began poisoning Flint residents two years ago as it leached lead from water pipes into fragile bodies of unsuspecting Flintites.

While not well publicized outside the Land of Lincoln, there's a form of toxic leaching going on here that deserves national attention. It's the leaching of the budget austerity that Gov. Bruce Rauner has imposed on us 13 million Illinoisans, poisoning the lives of the needy being denied basic services they depend on to lead a semblance of a decent life. Whether its cutbacks to help for sufferers of autism or day care for low wage workers unable to afford this basic need, Gov. Rauner is holding them all hostage to his refusal to provide a budget with sufficient revenue till the legislature passes his non-budgetary priorities to diminish workers rights, wages and dignity.

Gov. Snyder has launched an apology tour to extricate himself from having to resign or even possibly hire a defense attorney to defend against criminal misconduct against the hapless residents of Flint. Don't expect an apology tour from Gov. Rauner. He's just a year in to his four year hitch leaching heartless insensitivity into the lives of Illinois's needy.