By: Ted Dabrowski and John Klingner
Americans demanded change last week. Whether they were voting for Trump or against Harris, their rationale didn’t matter. Less government interference won. So did free speech, border control, law and order, and anti-DEI policies.
The change that shook the nation was visible even in Illinois, perhaps one of the country’s most hostile media and political environments for Trump. Not only did Trump shrink the Dem margin of victory this year to nine percentage points – from 17 points in 2020 and 25 points in 2008 – he also performed better in both Chicago and the suburbs. Illinoisans’ support for Trump grew even as the media and political attacks on him, led notably by Gov. J.B. Pritzker, increased in intensity.
So with 45% of Illinois going for Trump – and Latinos and blacks and virtually every demographic breaking towards him – you would have thought Gov. Pritzker would be chastened, or at least sufficiently introspective enough to hold his tongue until the dust settles.
No way. Just look at the governor’s message to Illinoisans one day after the election:
“This morning, our most vulnerable communities woke up to new uncertainty about their future, scared that their rights will no longer be protected, and unsure whether this nation still stands with them. To women whose healthcare is under even greater threat, to our Black, Brown and AAPI communities, our LGBTQ friends and their families, immigrants and first-generation Americans, our most vulnerable Americans and those with disabilities, to all who have been made to feel unsafe and unwelcome by the Trump campaign and its allies – know that Illinois is your ally. You will always be welcome here.
Straight away, Pritzker has returned to dividing people, not uniting them. Instilling fear, not comfort. Creating demons where none exist.
He addresses each group, in tribal fashion, one by one: AAPI. LGBTQ. Black. Brown. First-generationers. The disabled. He makes sure each group feels aggrieved – that with Trump winning they’re unsafe, vulnerable.
The governor’s recent post-election “warrior-like” warning to Trump sums it all up. “You come for my people, you come through me.”
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The big vote swing in Illinois shows people are increasingly rejecting the grievance politics of Pritzker and his party. And that’s lost on the governor. Instead, he’s content with growing the list of Illinoisans dependent on government…with an ever-bigger government that takes care of an ever-bigger number of aggrieved groups. That’s his thinking.
Illinois and Illinoisans won’t succeed until we flip that kind thinking – and the politicians and public policies that go with it – on its head.
The election results in Illinois show that someday soon, it just might be possible.
Read more from Wirepoints:
- Equity fail: Illinois’ destructive policies leave black residents behind
- Illinois’ Gov. Pritzker delivers Democrats’ national economic pitch at DNC. A look at his own record is revealing.
- Illinois’ coming drop in Medicaid enrollment should be good news, not a lament
- Fresh data: Illinois officials graduate record 88% of students despite tragic literacy, numeracy rates
Audio and summary 
If this bill passes, say goodbye to local control over all Illinois parks and expect to see open drug and alcohol use, needles, no sanitation and fire hazards, but no ordinary park users.
Since !!! JB became Gov of Illinois this poor state has gone ,soooo far down , there nothing left ,I remember when Belleville court house was really a good place ,where you can get justice,,, not anymore “” this place is messed up,,, especially the family court,the corruption of politics,needs to be clean up,,, all that careless spending Illinois has done to the state of Illinois,, they school system are broken pitiful,, I’m glad I left, and why is JB tryin to fight , against,, president Trump and push back is beyond me???? Kick his fat behind out
Pritzker should perhaps realize that big blue wall no longer exists to back him up when he throws the school yard type threats out there
Two words that should strike fear into the heart of any sane person, “President Pritzger”
Pritzker will never be a “man of the people”, twice bought his governorship, hugely envious of Trump big win.
He claims people call him a “happy warrior”. I highly doubt anyone called him that, ever. He’s a poser and nothing more. His non stop Trump bashing has gone on for eight years, and last week people across the country told him he was the real idiot. It has to sting, given that massive ego he totes around everywhere he goes. Of course, he’ll double down on everything, and that may well be the Democrat response, but there are cracks in that strategy already showing. The Dems don’t want to incur extended damage from this butt kicking they received, so… Read more »
No downvotes so far on these comments. It’s almost like the downvoter has the day off today…
Right. It’s a holiday for CapFax readers, which is to say they are not at work playing on the internet.
And don’t forget, lots of time for are AFSCME (CapFax reader) heroes to play on the internet on the taxpayers dime as JB made COVID remote work permanent in latest, not to be diminished, contract.
Downvote may need a wellness check. But seriously, why bother to use the thumbs down without explaining why?
It’s the Kamala strategy. Call out the other side without explaining your position.
I AM 78 YEARS OLD . JBP REMINDS OF THE 1960 HIPPY . I LIVE DOWN STATE . IF HE LIVED THEN HE WOULD BE ANOTHER DRAFT DODGER
Never got my free crack pipe The Biden administration promised. Maybe our “Lord of the Fries” governor will pick up the fallen Democratic standard of ridiculous false promises.
What an embarrassment. No wonder the Pritzker’s have always kept him away from the family business.
Those who can, do; those who can’t, cavil.
He says “To women whose healthcare is under even greater threat…”. From who? Overturning Roe V Wade turned rhe abortion issue to the states, Illinois has legal abortion. Illinois also requires insurers to cover IVF. Illinois would be much better served by fiscally responsible governance and less virtue signaling, and he is not the guy for that.
All those facts you cite are ignored by Democrat politicians and the media. Is the public aware of that?
Well, it’s probably not a good idea to admit he’s mainly interested in protecting public unions. Of course he trots out the mascot groups for cover.
apparently the public sec unions/ operators 150 where already planning ‘Trump proofing” ahead of election, if Trump admin tries and get rid of Bacon-Davis or something. One wonders behind the scenes if passage of Amend 1 was in part planned as protection against federal labor changes as could now potentially happen…..if any of this happens already uncompetitive Illinois will only become more expensive and great news for U-haul stock.
As pundit and radio show host Jesse Kelly says, Democrats aka commies don’t think like you or I. A commie is perpetually looking to revolutionize and enough is never good enough. Republicans will look at a situation like we are in now, where we have the house, senate, presidency and SCOTUS. Sure, it’s not perfect, but we can make this work. But the Democrat looks at this situation and laments and obsesses that they don’t have enough. Tony Preckwinkle has 16 of the 17 seats on the Cook County Board, and she was super angry and ticked off that she… Read more »
Sadly, more than ever it should be apparent how Pritzker is holding IL back.
More tough talk from the kid that rode the bench. Haven’t seen so much finger pointing since that movie based on the board game “Clue “.
It’s relatively easy political theater for JB to “saber rattle” against trump admin on civil rights issues stuff. But when it come to BIG cuts in fed funding, block granting medicaid for example, the saber rattling will all be on the taxpayer dime….and that’s when the S-hits-the-fan for state gov dems nationally.