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Rauner’s Disingenuous Campaign to Defend His Veto of a Bipartisan Budget

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Rauner’s Reckless Veto Shows He is More Interested in Campaigning than Governing

Yesterday, Rauner staged a dramatic press conference called for lawmakers to sustain his veto. The Sun-Times Mark Brown described the scene:
“The governor could barely contain his phony outrage on the eve of an Illinois House effort to override his vetoes of a state budget that gifts him with both a functioning government and a re-election platform.”
In his most serious voice, Governor Rauner unequivocally said he was doing “everything possible” to prevent an override. NPR’s Brian Mackey continues:
“Here’s the thing: At least two Republicans who voted yes say neither the governor nor his office have been in touch.”
Oh.
Governor Rauner, as always, is putting on a show. He desperately needs the legislature to successfully override his veto, or else the state will be reduced to junk bond status, schools may not open in the fall, and universities may close. Even while Rauner recklessly calls for a veto, he does not offer up a viable alternative solution to prevent the fiscal collapse sustaining the veto would cause.
Rauner will play the role of tax crusader, but his own support for higher taxes was so real that traditional allies like the Illinois Policy Institute and the Wall Street Journal lashed out at him. Rauner’s own “Capitol Compromise” included higher taxes.
Finally, Bruce Rauner wants to make this deal about Democrats. The fact is this bill would never have passed if Republicans were not willing to break with Rauner and sign a deal before his demanded-reforms were addressed.
For three weeks, Rauner posted pictures of him sitting at his desk “waiting” for a budget deal. If he really wanted a different deal, maybe there should have been a picture of him calling someone.
“Bruce Rauner needs to explain to the people of Illinois why he was willing sacrifice their future and let the two-year budget impasse continue,” said DGA Illinois Communications Director Sam Salustro. “Lawmakers came together in a bipartisan fashion to end Rauner’s self-inflicted budget crisis and put their state back on track, but Rauner called for the impasse to continue. His veto without a follow-up plan was reckless and would only result in fiscal ruin for Illinois, and shows he is too busy setting up his reelection campaign than govern responsibly.  Illinois can no longer afford failed leadership that puts politics ahead of people.”

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