Good to know:
http://politics.suntimes.com/...
Newly surfaced video of Republican Bruce Rauner obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times shows him telling conservative activists in Lake County last year that, as governor, he would have blocked Gov. Pat Quinn’s 2013 expansion of Medicaid.
Rauner’s words mark the first time he has publicly staked out that position after sidestepping the question of a possible rollback of the state’s Medicaid expansion during a joint appearance in March with U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill., and at a Chicago Tribune editorial board meeting a month earlier.
The new disclosure comes as President Barack Obama himself comes to the Chicago area Wednesday to help raise campaign cash for Gov. Pat Quinn, who enacted the 2013 expansion that was necessitated by the president’s signature health-care reform.
The video also coincides with the release Tuesday of new data by Quinn’s administration that showed 468,000 people enrolled in the expanded Medicaid program since last year, more than double original forecasts.
In the grainy, 33-second smart-phone movie, Rauner is seen responding to an audience member’s question at the Northern Illinois Patriots “Meet the Contenders” Nov. 12, 2013, meeting in Libertyville.
“If you were governor of Illinois, would you have accepted Medicaid expansion and what do you think about the other Republican governors around the country that rejected Medicaid expansion?” Rauner was asked.
“I would not have accepted the expansion,” Rauner responded then. “I’m deeply concerned: We have a massive problem in our Medicaid system in Illinois. It’s full of corruption and abuse, and we are facing a problem that will dwarf our pension problem in about four or five years with our Medicaid system. It’s out of control, it’s corrupt.” - Chicago Sun-Times, 10/1/14
Quinn wasted no time going after Rauner on this:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/...
Quinn’s campaign seized on the Medicaid issue and used Rauner’s views to try to solicit cash from supporters in a fundraising email. After appearing before supportive members of the state AFL-CIO in suburban Rosemont, the governor called Rauner's comments “distressing.”
“He's got a lot of explaining to do,” said Quinn, who contended Rauner has a habit of “saying one thing behind closed doors and another thing out in public.”
“Ultimately, the truth comes out,” said Quinn, who in July 2013 signed the law that expanded Medicaid coverage in Illinois to 138 percent of the federal poverty line. Federal health care officials say that is about $16,105 for an individual or $32,914 for a family of four.
Many Republican governors opposed Medicaid expansion. The federal government is supposed to pay 100 percent of the costs of the expansion through the end of 2016. Its responsibility tapers to 90 percent by 2020, leaving states to pick up the balance.
Rauner’s comments on Wednesday that he would not advocate a rollback of the health care expansion clarifies his position on the issue. During a February endorsement session before the Tribune editorial board, Rauner noted the full federal funding for the expansion was “not going to last.”
“That’s going to end in a couple of years and when that ends, we’re going to look at each other and go, “Oh my goodness. What happens now?”’ Rauner said. “And we could blow a hole in our budget that could maybe dwarf our pension problem. So we got to get on it now, be proactive. I don’t know today what can be rolled back and what can be modified.”
A month later, after winning the GOP governor nomination, Rauner appeared at a campaign stop in Greektown and warned of the potential future costs to the state of the Medicaid expansion, but stopped short of saying whether he thought the program should be rolled back. - Chicago Tribune, 10/1/14
Things are looking better for Quinn but he's still in a tough battle. But he's getting some help from someone who knows a thing or two about winning tight races:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/...
Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) will hit the road today to raise money for Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn, enrich his political fund in Rhode Island and host a policy summit with fellow governors in Northern Virginia.
McAuliffe, a prolific fundraiser for Democratic causes and the Clintons, will lend his star power to Quinn, who is in one of the nation’s most competitive contests with Republican Bruce Rauner. The Democrats will attend an event in a private home tonight in Chicago.
“He is going to Chicago to support Governor Quinn, who is in a tough race for reelection,” said Michael Halle, adviser to McAuliffe’s political action committee, Common Good VA.
From Chicago, McAuliffe will travel to Providence, R.I., for a lunch Thursday to benefit Common Good VA hosted by a group of supporters in the Boston and Providence area, Halle said.
Then on Thursday and Friday McAuliffe will host a two-day policy summit for the Democratic Governors Association at the Salamander Resort & Spa in Middleburg. - Washington Post, 10/1/14
Click here to donate and get involved with Quinn's campaign:
https://www.quinnforillinois.com/