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The Biggest Election of 2014: Bruce Rauner may take the governorship of America’s worst run state.
National Review ^ | 07/25/2014 | Stephen Moore

Posted on 07/25/2014 3:33:37 PM PDT by SeekAndFind

If you want to know which individual political race has the biggest stakes in 2014, look no further than the Land of Lincoln.

The Illinois governor’s race pits incumbent Pat Quinn, a Democrat, against upstart non-politician Bruce Rauner. Why are the stakes so huge? Because Illinois is arguably the worst-run state in America. It’s a blue state that has been run for many years by corrupt and bungling politicians including Rod Blagojevich, who went to jail for trying to sell a U.S. Senate seat, and Mr. Quinn, who has run the state’s finances into the gutter.

This year shows no improvement. Even as the national employment picture has improved, Illinois actually managed to lose more than 15,000 jobs throughout the first half of 2014. In June of 1998, Illinois had 5.07 million private sector jobs. In June of 2014, Illinois had just 4.98 million. Somehow, Illinois managed to lose jobs during this 16-year time frame.

If Illinois were to elect a reform-minded governor in a deep blue state that’s hemorrhaging cash, it would be a thunderbolt to the political class around the nation. Illinois could become a laboratory experiment about whether conservative ideas can work in a state that has been ruled by teachers’ unions and a self-serving political machine in Springfield and Chicago.

(Excerpt) Read more at nationalreview.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Illinois
KEYWORDS: 2014; brucerauner; illinois
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1 posted on 07/25/2014 3:33:37 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

“Bruce Rauner may take the governorship of America’s worst run state.”

Wow, the bar is pretty high - so many to choose from.


2 posted on 07/25/2014 3:39:29 PM PDT by Jack Hammer
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To: SeekAndFind

Worst run state? Yeah, well he’s got some stiff competition from Jerry Moonbeam Brown here in Cali. He’s an absolute Jackwagon.


3 posted on 07/25/2014 3:40:20 PM PDT by Bullish (You ever notice that liberalism really just amounts to anti-morality?)
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To: Jack Hammer

NY, Mass, Maryland, Cal……………..etc.


4 posted on 07/25/2014 3:41:25 PM PDT by morphing libertarian
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To: morphing libertarian

The up side is that the trophy would really mean something in such a competitive field.


5 posted on 07/25/2014 3:44:21 PM PDT by Jack Hammer
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To: Bullish

RE: Worst run state? Yeah, well he’s got some stiff competition from Jerry Moonbeam Brown here in Cali. He’s an absolute Jackwagon.

______________________________

You are right. According to this list, Illinois is only the third worst run state. California tops it.

http://247wallst.com/special-report/2013/11/21/the-best-and-worst-run-states-in-america-a-survey-of-all-50-2/2/


6 posted on 07/25/2014 3:46:40 PM PDT by SeekAndFind (If at first you don't succeed, put it out for beta test.)
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To: SeekAndFind; fieldmarshaldj; Impy; cotton1706; sickoflibs; BlackElk
>> If Illinois were to elect a reform-minded governor in a deep blue state that’s hemorrhaging cash, it would be a thunderbolt to the political class around the nation. Illinois could become a laboratory experiment about whether conservative ideas. <<

Your article is too late, Stephen Moore. The chance for Illinois to do all of that was during this year's primary election.

Now we're stuck with a liberal combiner candidate & Rahm Emanuel pal as the "Republican" nominee. He is neither "reform minded" nor conservative. Illinois is screwed regardless of who wins in November.

In fact, we went through this whole song and dance four years ago, when national conservative pundits claimed electing Mark Kirk to the U.S. Senate is "deep blue Illinois" would "embarrass Obama", "kill the lame duck session" "stop Harry Reid", and "cancel out liberal Dick Durbin's vote so Illinois has balanced representation in the Senate". Oh, and of course, "show that FISCAL conservatism works"

Has it?

7 posted on 07/25/2014 3:49:26 PM PDT by BillyBoy (Looking at the weather lately, I could really use some 'global warming' right now!)
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To: SeekAndFind
Governor Pat Quinn, a Democrat

Anybody know if they have reserved a jail cell for Quinn yet...After all, isn't that the requirement to be the Illinois Governor...

Four of the last seven have served time...

8 posted on 07/25/2014 3:54:03 PM PDT by Popman ("Resistance to Tyrants is Obedience to God" - Thomas Jefferson)
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To: BillyBoy

Isn’t Illinois the state where the cops have to pay cash for gas, because no one will accept the state credit card?


9 posted on 07/25/2014 3:54:39 PM PDT by patton (“Really? Have you tried chewing cloves?”)
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To: BillyBoy

Yep. What you said. Rauner also thinks it’s OK for moms to kill their unborn children. By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept ...


10 posted on 07/25/2014 4:00:15 PM PDT by Springfield Reformer (Winston Churchill: No Peace Till Victory!)
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To: Popman

If it was up to me they would have clicked the cuffs on him the minute he took the oath of office.


11 posted on 07/25/2014 4:05:38 PM PDT by LauraJean (sometimes I win sometimes I donate to the equine benevolent society)
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To: morphing libertarian

Illinois: The only state where your license plates are made by former governors.


12 posted on 07/25/2014 4:08:54 PM PDT by Vigilanteman (Obama: Fake black man. Fake Messiah. Fake American. How many fakes can you fit in one Zer0?)
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To: SeekAndFind

He’s a RINO. Couldn’t give a crap.


13 posted on 07/25/2014 4:09:58 PM PDT by Viennacon (Barry Obama? No... Barack Hussein Soebarkah.)
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To: SeekAndFind

Illinois has had three failed governors in a row. There is no way Quinn deserves another term. Would Rauner be any better? He couldn’t be worse. If Quinn wins, it shows the utter hopeless of Illinois, not so much because of him, but because of the kind of people who would re-elect him.


14 posted on 07/25/2014 4:16:48 PM PDT by Southside_Chicago_Republican (If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.)
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To: Southside_Chicago_Republican

*hpoelessness*


15 posted on 07/25/2014 4:18:25 PM PDT by Southside_Chicago_Republican (If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.)
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To: Southside_Chicago_Republican
Illinois has had three failed governors in a row.

Aren't they all in Prison?

16 posted on 07/25/2014 4:19:38 PM PDT by dfwgator
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To: dfwgator

Ryan was. Blagojevich is. Quinn hasn’t gone yet, but he is the third failure.


17 posted on 07/25/2014 4:21:55 PM PDT by Southside_Chicago_Republican (If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.)
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To: patton

That’s us. Wait till the EBT cards stop working.


18 posted on 07/25/2014 4:22:13 PM PDT by Lurker (Violence is rarely the answer. But when it is it is the only answer.)
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To: SeekAndFind

Here is a add:

Quinn ... dear God, ANYBODY has got to be better.


19 posted on 07/25/2014 4:44:40 PM PDT by taxcontrol
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To: taxcontrol

Be careful what you ask for.


20 posted on 07/25/2014 4:47:29 PM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (Resist We Much)
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