Friday, July 07, 2017

Rauner's dilemma: No space left to paint

When Bruce Rauner assumed the governorship 30 months ago, he unleashed an unprecedented assault on students, pensioners, working and non-working poor, state vendors, private and public union workers; ultimately all 13 million of us. He told the legislature he wouldn't pass a budget till he got a laundry list of non-budgetary items like term limits, and union givebacks passed to please his wealthy, elitist base and the rapacious businessman in his head which brought him fabulous personal wealth without creating anything of value. He had neither a mandate, nor more importantly, a heartless legislature to grant him those demands. Rainer's response was to paint himself into a corner with no chance whatsoever of achieving those extortionate demands. A seventh grade civics student could have advised Rauner he'd eventually run out of floorspace to coat with his unlimited supply of self destructive paint. Today, after 870 days, all Rauner is left with is a paint splattered reputation from his own hand as a bi-partisan coalition of decent, responsible legislators gave Illinois a budget to begin turning back on the state services Rauner shut down. 

America has learned in the past six months how a cruel, egomaniacal businessman can wreck havoc on the national body politic with a supportive Congress. Illinois, still reeling from two and a half years of non-governance, has finally taken away Rauner's paint brush of self destruction and begun the long road back.

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