Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Bruce Rauner's Cash Bar and the End of Citizen Campaign Participation

Nothing confirmed the wisdom of our decision to forgo voting in yesterday's Illinois primary election better than Bruce Rauner's election night cash bar.

Come Celebrate with Bruce Rauner
-- only Ten Bucks a pop!

The Winnetka billionaire speculator held his election watching party at the downtown Chicago Hilton and Towers.

There, Rauner's friends and campaign hangers-on were shaken down to the tune of $10 for a drink or $8 for a cheap domestic beer.

This really signals the end of citizen participation in the election process -- at least on the GOP side -- here in Chicago.

Time was when campaigns would actually need real live voters and activists -- political junkies, if you will, -- to do the grunt work needed to win an election.

They needed people to man volunteer phone banks, to go door-to-door, to get up at 5am on election day and put campaign signs in front of the polling places.

Not so much, anymore.

Today, a billionaire with no discernible Republican pedigree, like Rauner, can simply waltz in, shell out a few mil for incessant media buys and walk away with the Gubernatorial nomination of the decrepit Illinois Republican party.

Beach Buddies Rauner and Rahm

No need to get the great unwashed involved in the process. If there should be some need for a physical entity to perform some actual campaign task, there is plenty of temporary casual labor that can be put on the payroll.

And since they're paid lackeys, there's no need for the candidate to show appreciation.

"They're getting paid. They can buy their own damned drinks."

Oh, and by the way. Should Rauner -- or any other candidate -- want a yard sign up on my lawn this fall -- the lawn rental fee is $10 per day for front and center placement -- or $8 per diem for sign placement on my side lot. It's a good deal!!

2 comments:

  1. Love your blog. I have met Rauner in person at Palatine Republican HQ. He is a plant for Rahm.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Interesting how the morning after the primary, before the voting machines had even been rolled away, Rauner brings out a laundry list of prominent Dems, many of them clear lefties like Newton Minow, who are backing him.

      Delete

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