Will Illinois Elect A Sleazy Billionaire Sociopath As Governor? Meet Bruce Rauner

There is no way to shame a Republican. None of their selfish, narcissistic behavior ever seems to embarrass them. As Wall Street attorney Oliver Budde explained, "[O]ur ethos in a nutshell: grab every dollar you can, for as long as you can, using every scheme you can think of, and pay out to yourself and your cronies as much as you possibly can, as quickly as you can. You don't sweat morals or ethics; if it looks doable without getting caught or at least without serious risk of penalty to the executives (who couldn't care less if the corporation has to kick back some of the loot later), you do it. So subprime MBS and CDOs rated safe as mothers' milk, lying to and stealing from clients, misleading investors and the public (including Congress, even under oath), cheating on taxes, financing drug lords, laundering terrorist and Ponzi cash, ripping off the central bank that just saved your bacon, hell, even proclaiming love for America while simultaneously raking in hundreds of millions persuading American corporations to move offshore or even driving your own bank right off the cliff if the money's right: it's all good in the 'hood if you like the odds."

Last week, Senate Democrats tried shutting down the Republican filibuster of a bill meant to close tax loopholes that actually encourage corporations to avoid paying American income taxes. S.2569, had 25 cosponsors, from liberals like Brian Schatz (D-HI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) to so-called "moderates" like Mark Pryor (D-AR), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Kay Hagan (D-NC) and Chris Coons (D-DE)… but no Republicans; not one. Although a majority of the senators voted to end the filibuster and move on to a vote, they couldn't get the 2/3 majority they needed for that, but the Republicans had decided to obstruct the bill and kill it. It failed 54-42, only one Republican voting with the Democrats, scared that she could be defeated in November.

Elizabeth Warren called the Republicans and their corporate allies out for free-loading. "These companies," she told her fellow senators, "are renouncing their American citizenship, turning their backs on this country, simply to boost their profits. They are taking advantage of all the good things that our government helps provide-- educated workers, roads and bridges, a dependable court system, patent and copyright protections-- and then running out on the bill. If a person did that, we'd call them a freeloader. For a person who doesn't want to pay a fair share, our message is clear: you can renounce your citizenship, but don't come back and expect the rest of us to pick up your tab. But we don't do that for corporations. Corporations can renounce their American citizenship-- and make absolutely clear in legal documents that they're doing so to avoid their US tax obligations-- and not suffer any consequences. In this corner of the tax code, we've gone way past treating corporations like people. In this corner of the tax code, we treat corporations better than people." Water off a duck's back. It's part of the nature of conservatism.

Take Bruce Rauner, a typical crooked financial manipulator, a tax-cheat, and a shady billionaire who bought himself the Illinois Republican gubernatorial nomination, writing himself a nice $9.6 million check to crush his opponents. His three main priorities are lowering taxes on the super-wealthy, lowering the minimum wage, and wrecking the public schools system and replacing it with for-profit charter schools.

Would it surprise you to know that Rauner also hides much of his wealth offshore to keep from paying his fair share of taxes? Chicago media has been reporting that he has refused to release a full set of his most recent tax returns that would show the full extent of what many know is a great deal of unethical and probably criminal behavior.

Brooke Anderson, the spokesperson for Governor Pat Quinn, pointed out that Rauner "doesn’t just use exotic methods to dodge taxes. He even uses exotic, offshore locations. No wonder why Mr. Rauner won’t release his full tax returns. He’s been stashing money in the Cayman Islands to avoid paying U.S. and Illinois taxes." He's a real sleaze bag and was once caught in an elaborate scheme to cheat on his property taxes for just a $1,600. He's just a greedy, selfish sociopath who can't help himself.

Margaret Niederer a former long-term care ombudsman in Springfield penned an OpEd for the State Journal-Register last week, Bruce Rauner is not the change Illinois needs.

Nursing homes and disability homes owned by Republican governor candidate Bruce Rauner’s firm have been implicated in numerous and repeated incidents of abuse, neglect, rape and even death of residents.

As a former Illinois Long Term Care Regional Ombudsman who protected the rights of residents in long-term care facilities for more than a decade, I am appalled.

Leading up to the primary election, I was horrified by the stories of elderly individuals suffering preventable deaths because of avoidable falls, pressure ulcers and infections in nursing homes owned by a company that Rauner helped found.

Rauner shrugged off responsibility and refused to explain to the voters of Illinois why these patients received such atrocious care.

Now we know that the extreme negligence that occurred in Rauner’s nursing homes were not isolated incidents. Illinois voters recently learned from news reports the gruesome stories of sexual abuse, assault and death at facilities for people with developmental disabilities owned by another company Rauner’s firm created. These crimes were so horrendous that one of the facilities was shut down by the state of Texas.

Rauner simply blamed the management team and called the company a bad investment.

I am all too familiar with long-term care companies skirting their responsibility of providing person-centered care to their patients. Horrendous incidents like this don’t happen repeatedly by accident. They occur in poorly run facilities owned by companies that value profit margins over the lives and well-being of residents.

Rauner and his investor buddies cut staff, which subsequently led to poor patient care. I have seen first-hand the effects of this scheme before. Residents are left frightened for their safety and personal well-being and, inevitably, a resident unnecessarily suffers or even dies from lack of care.

Rauner says he will come to Springfield and run it like a business. If the morally bankrupt and slipshod manner in which he ran his health-care companies is any indication of how he will run government agencies, including the Illinois Department of Public Health, which is responsible for oversight of long-term care facilities, then this is indeed, a very scary situation.

I personally have serious doubts that Rauner would be the kind of governor Illinois needs. If he is elected, will he ignore problems in the state’s long-term care system, public education and our rapidly deteriorating infrastructure?

The voters of Illinois deserve a governor who puts people first, always.

I sense Illinois voters hunger for change, but I know that Bruce Rauner, who has shown no interest in protecting our most vulnerable citizens, is not the change Illinois needs.

Confidential to IL Gov. Pat Quinn and Dem Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias: Do you know what Master Rahm is doing right now?

"A loss by either [Quinn or Giannoulias] -- and that scenario isn't terribly hard to fathom -- would give Emanuel an opening to run against a Republican."

-- Chris Cillizza, in a Washingtonpost.com "The Fix" 

blogpost yesterday, "Rahm Emanuel's next (political) step"

by Ken

In the present economic and political climate, both Illinois statewide candidates already had their hands full. Now it turns out that both the governor, running for election in his own right after succeeding Rod "Show Me the Money" Blagojevich, and state Treasurer Giannoulias, running for the Senate seat formerly occupied by President Obama, have something potentially far more dangerous to worry about than either the state of the economy or the strength of Republican candidates.

Yesterday Washingtonpost.com's Chris Cillizza reported in The Fix on the next step for superthug Master Rahm Emanuel, who in an hourlong interview Monday told superdolt Charlie Rose: "I hope [Chicago] Mayor [Richard M.] Daley seeks reelection. I will work and support him if he seeks reelection. But if Mayor Daley doesn't, one day I would like to run for mayor of the city of Chicago."

Cillizza quotes from a recent New Yorker profile of the mayor by Evan Osnos (thereby reminding me that I never did get through that piece) on personal considerations, notably his wife's ongoing battle against cancer, that might deter Mayor Daley, who's about to surpass his father's tenure as the city's longest-serving mayor, from running again, but also the difficulty anyone else would have in keeping him out if he does choose to run for a seventh term. He also points out that new campaign finance laws would be unfriendly to a traditional Daley fat-cat-financed race.

What's interesting, though, is the prospect facing Master Rahm if Mayor Daley does run again, or if he can't crowd out the large field of prospective post-Daley mayoral candidates. Here's how Cillizza puts it:

To give Emanuel an opening at either the governor's mansion in 2014 or the Senate in 2016 (and it's hard to imagine he would wait that long to get back into the political game), either Gov. Pat Quinn (D) or state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias (D) would need to lose their bids in November.

A loss by either -- and that scenario isn't terribly hard to fathom -- would give Emanuel an opening to run against a Republican. Otherwise, it's impossible to imagine that he would primary a fellow Democrat.

Much as the prospect of a de-Rahm-ed White House gladdens the hearts of all freedom-loving Americans, if you're Pat Quinn or Alexi Giannoulias, and your defeat could be the only thing standing between the Master and, well, something he wants badly enough, shouldn't you already be losing sleep worrying about how best to watch your back?

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Who's Pat Quinn?

Well, for starters he became the Governor of Illinois yesterday when Rod Blagojevich was removed from office by a 59-0 vote in the state Senate. But is he any good-- or just more of the same. Another Blagojevich or Emanuel type? We turned to one of our most savvy and trusted sources about Illinois politics, former Democratic congressional candidate John Laesch. His report (after taking some time out of his birthday celebration to write it):

Pat Quinn – Change We Can Trust!

by John Laesch

John Laesch and Governor Pat Quinn

 
The impeachment of Rod Blagojevich highlights the greatest problem that this country faces, pay-to-play politics.  When elected officials and candidates spend all of their time raising money, they are not listening to constituents or writing/reading legislation that benefits people.  Even as I am writing this piece, talking heads on CNN are discussing the fact that they can not find one lawmaker who has read the $900 Billion stimulus plan.  With Democrats effectively controlling both Illinois and Washington D.C., the revolving door between special interest lobbyists and elected officials continues to turn.  Money continues to flow to the banking industry while homeowners continue to lose their homes.  Political consultants and political writers continue to emphasize fundraising as the only criteria for running for public office. And when someone like Blagojevich gets caught, people shake their heads and wonder, “how can this be?”
 
Instead of governing, elected officials spend countless hours raising money so they can run those television commercials that promise change.  Unfortunately, they get into office and have to start returning favors, raising more money and somehow, they never seem to deliver the change that we all keep waiting for.  This cycle pretty much describes Rod Blagojevich’s rise and fall.
 
In my parting words from my 2008 Congressional race, I differentiated between Paul Simon Democrats and Durbin Democrats.  Paul Simon would tell young political aspirants to meet as many people, shake as many hands, and listen to what people have to say.  Senator Durbin’s political assistant would tell you to raise $300,000 and come back after reaching that goal.  One Paul Simon Democrat who has never bought into the argument that you have to raise enormous amounts of money to get elected is Pat Quinn.
 
For those who do not live in Illinois, you can also rejoice!  Governor Pat Quinn gets it!  He has spent the last 30 plus years challenging the status quo and pushing for honest government.  Pat Quinn and Dr. Quentin Young walked across the state of Illinois to promote national healthcare.  Quinn has attended every funeral for fallen soldiers in the state of Illinois. While his commitment to veterans and our troops has nothing to do with honest government, this act alone is enough to earn my utmost respect.
 
In addition to his political accomplishments, I believe that Quinn has stayed true to the people by staying in touch with the people and being accessible.  When he visited my office almost a year ago, Quinn took several hours to simply listen to concerns that citizens had.  He didn’t give citizens a 3-minute time limit and the “bum rush” that you will get if you visit a local “Congress on your corner” event. He engaged in 2-way communication that demonstrated that he knew exactly what the issue was.  Finally, I feel that Pat Quinn actually loves the state of Illinois and the people who live and work here more than he loves his own political career.  He will be a phenomenal Governor, who will put the concerns of people over the fundraising checks submitted by special interest groups.
 
I think Governor Pat Quinn reflects change that we can both believe in, and trust.  Without question, the swearing in of Pat Quinn brings real hope to the citizens of this great state!

Doc Young frets that politicians, including HHS Sec'y-designate Daschle, don't grasp that people really do support single-payer health insurance

Then-State Sen. Barack Obama helps celebrate
Doc Young's 80th birthday in 2003.

by Ken

We just heard from our friend Illinois progressive John Laesch on the opportunity presented by the Blagojevich mess to bring about meaningful campaign finance reform, in the form of serious public financing. Now John wants to introduce us to a special friend of his, Dr. Quentin Young, national coordinator for Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP, "Our Mission: Single-Payer National Health Insurance").

John tells us that Doc Young "is often credited with starting the movement for single-payer healthcare in America and organizing behind strong progressive candidates." (Do we have to add that he endorsed John for Congress?) The doctor, who celebrated his 85th birthday this year, and only recently retired from medical practice (though not from public service), was a friend as well as the personal physician of Chicago newspaper legends Studs Terkel and Mike Royko, and apparently is something of an Illinois legend himself.

As a longtime advocate of single-payer health insurance, which he calls "the only answer to our health-care needs today," Doc Young is encouraged by the prospect of serious health-care reform and by the Obama transition's call for "house parties" to gather feedback, but he's concerned that the mind of Health and Human Services Secretary-designate Tom Daschle is already made up, in favor of a plan that "keeps private insurance companies very much alive," which he describes as "a fatal decision."

The doctor believes that people who understand the options have a clear preference for single-payer, but that this somehow never reaches the awareness of our political leaders. So he was persuaded to madk this video, no. 9 in a series of "Single Payer Moments" from PNHP:



Presenting Doc Young to Daily Kos readers, CatJab wrote:

Daily Kos, Meet Dr. Quentin Young

by CatJab
Mon Dec 15, 2008 at 12:03:02 PM PST

Our work with Illinois Media Progressives has given us the opportunity to meet some of the most dedicated and quality people in the health care reform movement. From Rep. John Conyers, IL Rep. Mary Flowers, Kay Tillow, Dr. Claudia Fegan, the list is long.

With the call out for house parties on the President-Elect's site, change.gov, we had the opportunity, much to our delight and excitement to speak to and videotape a message from Dr. Quentin Young, National Coordinator for Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP).

-- CatJab and Ozzie

For those of you unfamiliar with Dr. Young, he has been a tireless advocate for single payer health care for over twenty years, but that is just one item on a CV that includes:

* Practicing medicine for over sixty years (he's recently retired)

* President of the Medical Committee for Human Rights (physicians who traveled to treat victims of racial violence) during the most tumultuous years of the civil rights movement, 1963-69

* Personal physician for Dr. King when he was in Chicago. (Dr. Young was marching alongside Dr. King when he was attacked in Chicago. Can you think of a better guy to be next to you when you're hit by a brick?)

* Chair of the Chicago Health Department under Mayor Harold Washington, and personal physician to Studs Terkel, and Mike Royko as well.

Doc Young celebrated his 85th birthday this year, and his energy and enthusiasm puts us both to shame.

Doc Young with a pol he admires as a true progressive
and has worked closely with, man-in-the-news Illinois
Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn, the likely soon-to-be governor

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MORE ENDORSEMENTS FOR JOHN LAESCH TODAY: STUDS TERKEL AND ILLINOIS LT GOV. PAT QUINN

John Laesch endorsed by Lt. Governor Pat Quinn this morning

"The working person and the middle class person need a voice and certain qualities that John Laesch has that no other candidate for this office has: a sense of fairness-- giving everybody a break, especially those who have never been heard from before...

-Studs Terkel

John is having a great week. It started with an endorsement from Noam Chomsky and then today Illinois' much-loved and respected Lt. Governor Pat Quinn came out to John's campaign headquarters in Aurora and endorsed him: "John Laesch will be a strong voice for the veterans, consumers, and taxpayers of Illinois and across the nation. " Although virtually all the Democratic and labor and grassroots leaders inside the district have come out for Laesch, the Establishment insiders backing Blue Dog Bill Foster have managed to round up a gaggle of rote endorsements from Insider hack politicians under the thrall of the Machine. Like Laesch, Quinn is an independent-minded fighter. He is especially well-liked by labor, veterans and women, the 3 constituencies Laesch has been working the hardest with over the last 4 years.

And as you can tell from the quote at the top of the page, Laesch was also endorsed by Illinois' legendary author, commentator and broadcaster, Studs Terkel. Watch the video of Studs' endorsement-- and stay tuned for another commitment coming up from another true blue progressive hero who understands the importance of electing a real progressive instead of another tired insider shill.



Please join the 1,000 grassroots Democrats who have contributed to John's campaign at ActBlue. (His Blue Dog opponent has raised huge amounts of money from special interests and wealthy people but has only managed to interest 30 grassroots supporters.)