We have learned in recent years that “reform” goes hand-in-hand with the suspension or muzzling of democracy. Mike Klonsky explains what’s behind Governor Bruce Rauner’s plan to take over Chicago and the Chicago Public Schools.
He writes:
“Yesterday, we heard the news that Gov. Bruce Rauner and top Republican leaders are planning to introduce legislation aimed at an emergency financial takeover of the city of Chicago and Chicago Public Schools. Their rationale is the $500 million shortfall within the Chicago Public Schools system which they themselves — with help from sellout Democrats — created.
“We are told that the legislation would also allow for CPS and the city of Chicago to declare bankruptcy – something by law both cannot currently do. To sweeten the pot, Rauner threw in the promise of a elected CPS school board, but only “once the financial situation is remediated”.
“Given the history of corruption, racism, and incompetence behind Rahm Emanuel’s own autocratic rule over the schools, the promise of an elected board may sound attractive, given the widespread support shown for an end to mayoral control by Chicago voters. But it’s merely a ploy.
“The move is also Rauner’s way of heading off a budget compromise and a contract agreement between CPS and the CTU and cutting the heart out of collective bargaining rights for teachers public employee unions, statewide. It’s their alternative to raising taxes on their wealthy and corporate patrons to pay for the operation of a predominantly black and Latino school district.
“It’s the “Katrina model” which Paul Vallas used to bust the teachers union and privatize the entire New Orleans school system, getting Arne Duncan’s stamp of approval in the process. Gov. Snyder used it in Michigan to destroy democracy, including elected city government and the school system in Detroit. Snyder poisoned the people in Flint as a cost-cutting measure, along the way….
“The move brings to mind the Tribune editorial board’s call back in May, for a “Mussolini-type” dictatorship over CPS followed by the Trib’s Kristen McQueary praying for a Katrina-like storm to hit Chicago.”
How can Rauner do this when Democrats have a veto-proof majority in the legislature?
Diane Ravitch's blog 
I am NOT speechless. More of the same tactics to undermine public education. It’s more than
gross.
Thank you, Diane.
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This is typical of the ALEC mentality. Scary but now it seems that these billionaires have more money to spend on elections than the Republican party – ergo THEY are the 3rd party to make our politicians dance t o their tune
UNLESS
Americans wake up to what is happening and DEMAND change.
Just as I opened up my computer the news was that Bernie Sanders is leading Hillary even in Iowa. Bernie had 51% and Hillary had, forget the exact number but something like 47, maybe 58%, possibly less
but
the unreal MAY happen, Bernie takes Iowa and New Hampshire and this becomes a real fight.
EVen if Bernie should win the presidency t he fight would just begin. He has been honest in saying he cannot do it by himself nor can anyone else. People must demand change of their representatives.
The ALEC mentality MUST be fought. Educators should lead in t hat fight. Instructors and teachers may not see the connection but true educators should.
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on NPR today, they said because their is no state budget, the universities are also in trouble, and on verge of BK….cutting off money to low income students….seems like that is a Rauner issue as well….
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One would think that eyes would be opened with the situation in MI and not just about the water in Flint. Some are just too blind to see straight.
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Rauner loves to talk about the hardworking people of Illinois just before he announces some plan to screw the hardworking people of Illinois.
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I wish I could spend other people’s money then declare bankruptcy so I never have to give it back. Oh yeah and it wasn’t a loan since the teachers never had a say as to whether the money could be borrowed and were promised zero returns for the risks involved in using that money for non pension purposes.
Teachers took all the risk with no say in it and they get to reap the benefits of having their collective bargaining stripped away and even more money taken to cover other deficits.
Diane is the F word permissible to describe just how stupid this is.
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I think I may be losing steam in this long, very long, CCLS, RttT madness. Just a mom who works locally to inform other parents in her area, as well as the every day taxpaying Joe. My focus has been to right these injustices, but today they seem to insurmountable. I wonder how many other parents reading are feeling similarly.
Maybe I’ll feel better after a good night’s rest for the every day Mom works full time, takes care of sick family, has a non-typical child, and I lose time with that child to fight a battle that, frankly, seems fruitless.
I do thank you for the knowledge I have gleaned the past few years (6 and counting here – 9/2010.
Thanks for reading.
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If it is any help mom, I feel exactly the same way you do.
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It’s tangential to the problem in Illinois but, I am heartened by yesterday’s resignation of David Koch from the Board of the Museum of Natural History. Scientists and the general public have demanded his resignation for months.
In April, a huge rally “Awakening Democracy” is planned for D.C.
Now, is not the time to call it quits. Sacrifices over the past 250 years, can’t be dismissed, by any of us.
Appreciation for what you are doing, deserves recognition. And, all of us here, thank you.
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Well, it’ll work out fine for at least two people- Rahm and Rauner are old friends:
“KAHNWEILER: Tell ‘em how you met.
RAUNER: Laughs. Alright. This could be too long a story, but I’ll try to condense it. So, so I didn’t know who he was, but I was friends with a guy named Erskine Bowles who was an investment banker and then he became Clinton’s chief of staff. And Erskine was a good friend of mine. Erskine Bowles calls me up back in, uh, mid-90s, late 90s. And he said, uh, ‘Hey Bruce, we got this young kid in the White House who’s advising Bill Clinton but he wants to leave the White House and go into, into business and make some money and then maybe run for office later or whatever. But he wants to leave and go home to Chicago. Will you sit and talk to him, give him some advice for me? Just do me a favor.’
And I said, ‘Well, let him know I’m not a big fan of his boss and, you know, don’t have him come in here thinking he’s hoighty-toighty, or whatever but I’ll talk to him.’
(Crowd laughs)
And so, so he comes, he comes in and sits down in the corner office. I thought his name was Ron. I didn’t know what his – you know? I sit with him and the first words out of his mouth, he says, ‘Hey, how are ya? I want – I hear you got a great firm. I want to be a partner here.’
‘Hello, what? What did you say?’
‘Yeah. No. I hear you got the best private equity firm in, in Chicago. I want to work here. I want to be your partner.’
‘Whoa. OK. Hi. How are you? Who are you? What are you talking about?’ And we proceeded to fight for 20 minutes about why he was gonna join my firm and be my partner. I didn’t even know who he was. And I said, ‘Wait a second. Calm down. So, have you ever been in business?’
‘No.’
‘Do you know anything about finance?’
‘No.’
‘Do you, do you know what a balance sheet is?’
‘No. Well, sort of.’
‘Um, you’re a Democrat. You can’t even add. I mean, how are you gonna, how are you gonna…’
(Crowd laughs)
‘How are you gonna, how are you gonna work here? This is not gonna happen.’
And he said, ‘No, no. I’ll be great. And I’ll find ya deals and I’m hustling. I got relationships and I’ll be great.
And I said, ‘Wow. I – You seem like a bright guy. You’re pretty funny. I mean, you got, you got some testosterone like I haven’t seen in a while. And, and, uh, look, if you want to be – if you want to be trained, I’ll train ya and you could start as an associate.’
And he said, ‘No, no. I want to be a partner.’
I said, ‘Well, it ain’t happening so stop saying that.’
And I said, ‘Look, you seem like a bright guy. If you wanna – we’re an apprentice business. We do make a lot of money.’
And he said, ‘Yeah, that’s what I want. I want to make a lot of money. That’s why I want to be your partner.’
Long story short, the (now) Mayor got a different job in investment banking and they both made a lot of money for each other.
http://www.wbez.org/news/hear-what-happened-when-bruce-rauner-met-rahm-emanuel-first-time-114563
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Sigh. Why am I not surprised?
Once a hustler, always a hustler. Out for themselves.
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Gotta love the hypocrisy of right wing politics: liquidate the structure to “save the tax dollars for the taxpayer” but bring in a private corporation to suck it all back up to enrich themselves at said taxpayers’ expense. Disgusting. These people……
The sheer brash arrogating gall of these Rheeform-tapped pols and their billionaire, hedgefund benefactors is not a blatant but FLAGRANT demonstration of sheer wickedness and harm only because they can do so.
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Are there any plans among the 500 ed reform lobbying groups who employ thousands of paid advocates “for public education” to push to restore the funding public schools have lost since 2008?
Some of these states that cut funding have unemployment rates of 3 and 4%. If they’re not restoring funding to public schools now schools will never get the funding back. This is as good as their state economy will get. 3-4% unemployment is full employment.
When does the national ed reform political campaign to restore funding to public schools start? Maybe that could bring the two sides together. The Obama Administration could lead it, hopefully with the same zeal with which they promoted charter school expansion, or testing, or haranguing public schools to purchase more and more ed tech product.
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“500 ed reform lobbying groups” -the new welfare class, getting alms from Gates, Broad, Walton’s…
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“The Polstitutes”
The polstitutes
Dress up in suits
And rule the government
While principled
Are forced to fold
Because they’re not for rent
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“Democracy Awakening.org” has information about a planned 2016 rally in D.C..
Yesterday, David Koch resigned from the Museum of Natural History Board, following demands from scientists and the general public for his ouster.
Now, the focus on oligarch removal from universities can begin in force, with UnKochMyCampus.org leading the way.
Jane Mayer’s book/article about the Koch family specifically mentions the role that a faculty member at Wake Forest University played in political messaging for the Koch’s. Prior news articles spelled out the role the economics department at Florida State University, let the Koch’s play on campus. And, IMO, George Mason University is indistinguishable from the Koch’s. If justice is to prevail, Institutions that thwart democracy, in favor of oligarchy, will find all of their federal funding in severe jeopardy.
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Thanks for keeping attention on the corporate colonization of the public schere, not just in K-12 public schools (now branded as “traditional” by the charter industry) but extending well into higher education.
The Koch brothers have a humongous network of non-profits that exploit IRS laws to engage in propagandizing. The IRS has many versions of non-profit status that make it possible to avoid disclosure of who contributes to these organizations. And the organizations morph. For example, the Koch brothers funded Freedom Partners, formerly Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce, formerly Association for American Innovation, the latter classified as a non-profit trade association.
This is a business-friendly IRS category-501(c)(6) that also includes professional football leagues. This form of non-profit is permitted to have ownership in subsidiary non-profit corporations 501(c)(13). It also means the parent 501(c)(6) organization can award grants to non-profit social welfare organizations 501 (c)(4)-(a)(2)(i) which are entitled to lobby for “civic betterment and social improvements” related to the non-Profit’s mission, but not any specific candidates.
So, the IRS is part of the tangled and largely obscure architecture that provides gifting opportunities especially attractive to billionaires who ware eager to use these structures to promote political agendas without seeming to. An excellent discussion of the Freedom Partners money laundering scheme is here http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Freedom_Partners
The Koch Brothers have a deep network of surrogates to promote policies they want. It is no surprise that they are vehemently fighting environmental regulations and climate change. Among the organizations created for this campaign is the Cornwall Alliance for Stewardship of Creation. This Alliance is noteworthy of late for trying to make a Biblical case that is diametrically opposed to the Pope’s initiative on stewardship of the planet. http://www.pfaw.org/rww-in-focus/the-green-dragon-slayers-how-the-religious-right-and-the-corporate-right-are-joining-fo
The success of corporations in merging their interests with those of Christian conservatives is a well-told tale in a new book “One Nation Under God: How Corporate America Invented Christian America by historian Kevin M. Kruse. (2015, Basic Books.
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Laura,
Your personal repository of information, qualifies you as a national treasure.
If a dictionary/encyclopedia, that included a compilation of charts, linking social/political/economic organizations and individuals, was written, you could be its sole author.
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The Center for Media and Democracy created Sourcewatch, PR Watch and UnKochMyCampus.org. Upon request, they send e-mail updates about their work.
CMD does highly commendable research. Their latest in education, is based on documents they fought to get from the U.S. Dept. of Ed. (or, as I refer to it, the Gates/Walton Dept. of Ed.)
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RUN don’t walk out of Chicago, as fast as you can….I live in IL and most of my friends don’t plan on retiring here. We can’t really leave now because of how long we’ve been teachers and tenure but trust me as soon as we’re done being teachers…we are OUT OF IL!
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Reblogged this on Politicians Are Poody Heads and commented:
Another day, another asshole Republican governor.
{{Sigh}} 😦
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How can Rauner do this when Democrats have a veto-proof majority in the legislature? He can’t unless ….
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Reblogged this on 21st Century Theater.
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These are perverse times: A governor who overlooks Rahm’s suppression of murder evidence – murder of an innocent person by the authorities, and now a governor who overlooks Darnell Earley and the mayor of Flint, Michigan, all three of whom have willfully and wantonly neglected and disregarded the safety of children and their families with regard to a basic human need and right: drinking water.
What is next in store for consequences and accountability for these officials? Bad or good? Legal or illegal? Safe or unsafe?
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Robert,
I hope one of the major media outlets tells the whole sordid story about Snyder’s “emergency managers,” the suspension of democracy, the foul results. All that I read is that something bad happened and people are blaming Snyder. But no explanation of Snyder’s direct culpability
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I agree, Diane.
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