Resolving Illinois' Problems Merits An Elevated Debate

There have been a few stories in both mainstream and social media of late about how Governor Rauner is spending more on his staff than did his predecessor. These stories have been used by some to generate friction, and by others to play the political "gotcha" game. In my opinion, some of the Governor's critics that have chosen to try and make an issue out of his decision to acquire and pay for top talent are revealing themselves as petty prognosticators. 

Some of the Governor's opponents are understandably eager to go on the attack and criticize everything he does. These will probably be the same people that relished in accusing the Governor of attiring himself in Carhartt to "mask" that he was an "out-of-touch plutocrat." That was always an infantile line of attack that had nothing to do with policy.

The Governor's opponents will have ample opportunity for criticism in the weeks ahead as he formally introduces a raft of policy proposals to deal with the state's deplorable financial condition. Our financial problems, however, are severe and won't be addressed with half-measures and the tired default to familiar partisan instincts and rhetoric. 

The Governor will propose serious solutions. These solutions won't be popular and will meet with understandable resistance from affected interests. People don't like change, particularly if their ox is being gored. That said, I'm hopeful (perhaps foolishly), that criticism and opposition to the Governor's proposals will be high-minded and serious. The magnitude of our structural budget crisis is serious and, consequently, deserving of a serious and high-minded debate. 

Let's respect the enormity of the issues with which we must grapple. I believe that the media bears a special responsibility to elevate the debate by focusing on the problems and possible solutions rather than the "hand-to-hand combat" stories. This will be a difficult temptation to avoid, but they owe it to their readers to do so. The practitioners of viscious partisanship should be shunned beyond the outskirts of respectability. Serious people and serious arguments, both pro and con, belong at the forefront. 

There will understandably be significant disagreements and counter-arguments over the coming months, but let's not take the intellectually lazy path with shallow and petty criticisms. Illinois' taxpayers deserve better.