By Steve Rhodes
“Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, under fire from Democrats and their allies for cuts to popular social service programs, moved to lift those political pressure points Monday from a broader effort to win his pro-business, union-weakening legislative agenda,” the Tribune reports.
“In what Rauner’s team billed as a compromise with lawmakers, the administration offered to loosen new rules that caused the state to turn away tens of thousands of low-income children from its subsidized child care program. The rookie governor also backed away from plans to reduce the number of people with disabilities who qualify for certain kinds of state assistance.”
There, I gave you back child care and disability funding, now you give me something!
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“Rauner wants Democrats to approve measures to weaken union rights in collective bargaining, limit worker rights in injury claims against employers and make Illinois’ civil lawsuit system less friendly to plaintiffs. Democrats want a tax hike to prop up a state budget that’s billions of dollars out of whack.”
Rauner wants that tax hike too. Fact.
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“To save money during the impasse, Rauner used his executive powers to make the child care cuts, and had been working toward the cuts to disability services, which require federal approval. All along, the governor contended that the state couldn’t afford to fully pay for the programs without a true budget.
“That position changed Monday when the Rauner administration said it was willing to roll back child care eligibility restrictions so that more – but not all – of the families that have been rejected in recent months would be able to join the program. Higher copay rates that Rauner put in place in July would remain, while the administration said other restrictions could be lifted ‘pending further review and legislative consultation.'”
In other words, the child care and disability cuts had nothing to do with the budget, but instead were Rauner-created pawns bargaining chips.
It’s like negotiating with a used-car salesman.
SALESMAN/RAUNER: I’ll agree to your price except I’m going to remove one of the wheels.
BUYER/DEMOCRATS: No, driving the car on just three wheels is dangerous.
SALESMAN/RAUNER: Okay, I’ll give you back half of that tire. Now you give me something.
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Reminder: I hate Democrats. Especially Illinois Democrats. But they should introduce their own Turnaround Agenda and then challenge the governor to compromise. It should look something like this:
– Ban term limits.
– Ban redistricting.
– Increase awards for torts.
– Increase the minimum wage to $100 an hour.
– Increase awards for workman’s compensation.
– Raise taxes by one zillion percent.
– Raise spending by one kabillion percent.
Go.
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The governor, in effect, has just compromised with himself.
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“Also Monday, the administration announced a deal with unions and business groups that could make workers ineligible for unemployment benefits if they do things like drink on the job, lie on an employment application or refuse to follow an employer’s instructions.”
I’d like to know more about this – what were the rules before this deal? What does refusing an employer’s instructions mean? What qualifies as drinking on the job – an executive having a cocktail?
Because it sounds like nonsense.
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Vetting Ventra
In response to my item about Ventra on Monday, a loyal reader wrote: “I got one for the first time ever over the weekend. And I was $2 over.”
So it seems an effort is underway by Ventra to get everybody to load up their cards.
Paper City
In response to my item about principals’ paperwork on Monday, a loyal reader wrote: “You wondered in today’s column if principals still do paperwork on paper. I think they may be lucky not to have to use cuneiform tablets.
“Last year, I needed some work done on the connection between the sewer line from my home and the city’s main line on Foster Avenue. As required, my plumbers came out, put a camera down the sewer, showed the city inspector where the fault was – and he readily acknowledged the fault – then gave him a copy of what the camera saw. On VHS tape.
“When the city guy left, I asked my plumber about the tape. ‘We could give it to him on DVD or on a thumb drive,’ the plumber said, ‘but the city will only accept VHS tapes.'”
This reader then added:
“As a postscript, they had to do the sewer job twice. The crew they sent out the first time screwed it up.”
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The Suneiform-Times
On the other hand, the private sector has its issues, too.
@bylaurenfitz then our archives don’t have the final version. just the early web one.
— Lauren FitzPatrick (@bylaurenfitz) November 9, 2015
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SportsMonday: Bears Win Backup Battle
Being injury-riddled is now the norm in the NFL.
When Chicago Dissed Disturbed
In Local Music Notebook. Plus: Yo La Tengo Does The Dead & When The Velvet Underground Played Poor Richard’s In Chicago.
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BeachBook
Posted by The Beachwood Reporter on Monday, November 9, 2015
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Posted by The Beachwood Reporter on Monday, November 9, 2015
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Posted by The Beachwood Reporter on Monday, November 9, 2015
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Posted by The Beachwood Reporter on Monday, November 9, 2015
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Posted by The Beachwood Reporter on Tuesday, November 10, 2015
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Posted by The Beachwood Reporter on Tuesday, November 10, 2015
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TweetWood
A sampling.
San Diego sports radio right now sounds just like #Chicago sports radio would if just one play had gone the other way last night. #Bears
— Beachwood Reporter (@BeachwoodReport) November 10, 2015
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Why does the spin room exist? https://t.co/dRPGlEcNFB
— Jay Rosen (@jayrosen_nyu) November 10, 2015
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I was taught the opposite: “You don’t need them.” A good reporter doesn’t “need” anybody to do the job. https://t.co/CzcMuvhDVT
— Beachwood Reporter (@BeachwoodReport) November 10, 2015
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The Beachwood Tip Line: Needless.
Posted on November 10, 2015