OpEd: Illinois Must Get Beyond One-Party Rule
OpEd: Illinois Must Get Beyond One-Party Rule (Teutoplis, IL) — One party rule is destroying our state.
According to a report from 24/7 Wall St., Illinois is the seventh worst-run state in the country.
The report states, “Compared to most states, Illinois is not well positioned financially. Saddled with debt, a woefully underfunded pension system, and a virtually empty rainy-day fund, Illinois has a Baa3 credit rating from Moody’s and a negative outlook — the worst of any state.”
As a result of the mismanagement in Illinois, our state had the second highest outbound moves in 2021 according to United Van Lines. Anecdotally, my office hears all of the time from people who have either moved or are thinking about moving. The people I talk to are disheartened by what is going on in Springfield and they have little hope anything will change. They are tired of the one-party rule in Illinois, and they are equally as tired of the inept leadership in the opposition party.
It would be easy to lay the blame of the state’s abysmal financial situation at the feet of the Democrats, but the truth is Republicans are just as much at fault as the Democrats.
Our state is facing financial ruin because Republican Governors like Bruce Rauner compromised their principles and joined Democrats in raising taxes and doing little to address the structural problems facing our state. Instead of leading on the fiscal issues he campaigned on, Rauner signed signature Democrat bill such as a measure making Illinois a sanctuary state and another bill to expand taxpayer funded abortions in Illinois.
The truth is the feckless leaders of our party have been no better in their governance than the Democrats. At least the Democrats are honest about who they are. They are proud to be the party of high taxes and reckless spending.
The Republican party is supposed to be the party of fiscal responsibility and sadly our so-called Republican leaders have been anything but conservative in their policies.
It was Republicans who happily volunteered to raise the income taxes in 2017. It was Republicans who helped double the gas tax in Illinois. And it was a Republican who signed HB40 allowing for taxpayer funded abortions.
It should come as no surprise that so many in our party are rallying around Democrat Richard Irvin in his bid to win the Republican Party nomination for Governor.
Richard Irvin supports sanctuary cities, supports gun control, and is pro-choice. He has gone on record praising Governor Pritzker’s COVID-19 Mandates and hosted a Dr. Ezike day honoring the very person who masked our students. He refuses to answer simple questions like who he voted for in the 2016 and 2020 presidential election. He is the perfect embodiment of failed Never-Trumper Republican Leadership that refuses to stand on principle and has contributed to this states’ decline and continually gives voters little reason to support them.
And if the failed leaders in our Party get their way, Irvin will be our nominee for Governor.
So much for Republican principles.
Voters need and deserve a real contrast. A Democrat lite version of Gov. Pritzker is not much of a contrast.
Neither Pritzker nor Irvin will stand up to the political class and provide the kind of leadership we need to get Illinois back on track. If you love the status quo, both Irvin and Pritzker are safe choices.
We know another four years of JB Pritzker will be four more years of high taxes and record spending. The only choice Richard Irvin offers voters is slightly fewer tax increases and a modicum of spending restraint.
Illinois families need a real win and that can only come by rejecting allies to Pritzker’s mandates like Richard Irvin. In short, it is time to reject the one-party rule in Illinois by standing up to agents of the status quo like Richard Irvin and JB Pritzker. We need bold leadership not more of the same.
OpEd: Illinois Must Get Beyond One-Party Rule
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