Bill Brady Makes Pitch in Crystal Lake – Part 1

ABC Channel 7 covered the appeared of Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Brady when he came to Crystal Lake Sunday morning.

He reminds me of Ronald Reagan.

Smiling most of the time, except when he’s serious. Then he sounds sincere.

Republican candidate for Governor Bill Brady spoke to a room where most of the chairs were filled in the basement of the American National Bank this morning.

He was introduced by State Rep. and McHenry County Republican County Chairman Mike Tryon, who said, “This election cycle is a defining time.”

Commenting on the state’s fiscal situation, Brady referred to what Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels had told Fox News.

He said that Illinois was facing the biggest tax increase in Illinois history and homed in for the kill:

“I guarantee that means more jobs for Indiana.”

Brady, of course, has been adamant against raising Illinois taxes.

How long will it take to work off the approximately $6 billion in overdue bills?

Unlike the Lake County League of Women Voters, this Republican event started with the Pledge of Allegiance.

Two to three years is his estimate.

But his pitch was that “this election is about family…bringing back opportunity, (so our kids will have the same opportunity we had).”

Brady went through the state’s liabilities, including 75 billion in unfunded pensions, $5 billion in unpaid bills, over $130 billion in all “one-half incurred in the last eight years when (the Democrats were in power).”

Bill Brady makes a point.

He pointed out that Illinois has a worse bond rating that Afghanistan.

The GOP gubernatorial candidate extolled the potential for the exploitation of the energy resources of Illinois, holding out the tantalizing factoid that Illinois has more energy in its coal than Saudi Arabia has in petroleum.

But “Illinois is the only large state still reported to be in a recession,” he said.

With the world’s 11th largest economy, Illinois has the potential to regain the 800,000 jobs lost in the last decade, if predictability can be provided to business.

“You can’t be for jobs and against business anymore than you can be for eggs and against chickens.”

“It can and must be done,” he said to reversing the financial problems Illinois faces. Brady pointed to Indiana, New Jersey, Virginia, Louisiana and “Florida, when Jeb Bush was governor.”

But first, he pointed out, business is “looking for defined stability. It is worried about the future. We need to bring certainly to the minds of people.

“If we do that, we’ll bring back the 800,000 jobs.”

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More tomorrow.


Comments

Bill Brady Makes Pitch in Crystal Lake – Part 1 — 11 Comments

  1. To me.

    This guy has a lot of good little sayings, but not a whole lot of good ideas to go along with them.

    I would still like to see what Pat Quinn can do to fix all the problems that Blago left behind.

    And remember he’s only had 8 months so far.

  2. This state is spectacularly broken and broke.

    It has been the playground for Democrats and their ideas and the implementation of these ideas has been the sole reason for the current crisis.

    Illinois cannot afford to simply play along with another broken and clueless Democrat(which Quinn has overwhelmingly proven himself to be).

    Quinn may be well intentioned but he is too much a part of a legacy of losing legislation and illegal executive activity.

    We only have one Gubernatorial term to turn this state around.

    Pensions will be broke by 2018(according to one recent newspaper article), businesses and people are leaving the state in droves and those who stay are being saddled with a spectacular financial burden unlike any this state has seen before.

    We know what Quinn is and what he is capable of performing(eight months of very little leadership) and we need to take a chance Mr. Brady is a better executive.

    Without vision and strength Illinois is headed for dissolution due to Democrat dominated policy, state politics and legislation.

    My family has been here since Fort Dearborn and having Illinois dissolve wouldn’t affect where I live but if you care about this then consider a change in state political party leadership.

  3. Let me get this straight. Bradys good idea of tax cuts for the rich is a good way of cutting wasteful spending? If this guy is elected. Illinois will be in worse shape then when Rod left.

  4. Priest, you say pensions will be broke by 2018.

    Well let me tell you something, there will be alot of state employees pensions broken within a few years if Brady gets what he wants. Which is take IMRF pensions and make them 401K’s.

    Think about this. Local 150 Operating Engineers has endorsed a republican governor for over 30 straight years, and this election a democrat?

    Let’s not just vote for Brady Hoping he is a better executive. Let give it a little more than 8 months for Quinn to prove himself. Remember Blago left him with quite the mess.

  5. Illinois is broke by over spending so what do we do we send our state senator to the White house and now the country is overspending. You don’t see the similarity in that?

  6. Two observations:

    1- Quinn was not sworn in as Governor this year. It was last year. That means he has been in office a year more than 8 months.

    2- Illinois has a flat income tax rate–3.5%. Brady has nothing to do with the aim of national Democrats to let the Bush tax cuts expire at the end of this year.

  7. Bleacherbum2, unions are part of the reason why this country is in such a mess.

    I could case less who they endorse as I am voting for who will eliminate waste in our government (Unions and Pensions are a waste of tax dollars).

    I do not have a pension, but have a 401k and am fine with that as I am a responsible individual that does not look for a handout.

    Why should people in the public sector make out like they won the lottery when they retire? We taxpayers need to end the free rides.

    Paying someone $80k/year pension is unsustainable.

    According to a recent article Illinois pays approximately $20B/year in pensions.

    That is money that we can utilize for our schools, police departments, etc.

    I would prefer that money be used for the good of the state that the good of certain individuals.

    State pensions take away from our children’s education, but most people in the public sector don’t care because they don’t want their piece of gold taken away from them.

    Why not live in the real world for a change?

    If you want higher taxes then just make out a blank check to Illinois and let them waste the money ASAP.

    I for one want to keep the money that I work hard for.

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