A Tale of Two Governors
On President’s Day last Monday, I had the privilege to be a part of Governor DeSantis’ visit to Elmhurst for his Back the Blue three-city tour. The event was a closed, by-invitation-only event with the focus on inviting law enforcement officers. The few of us authorized to share the invitation with others were specifically told not to share it over social media or in an email.
It was inevitable that the invitation was going to get leaked. When it did, on Thursday before the event, the vitriol from members of the Democrat party, including Governor Pritzker, truly showed them as the bullies they are.
Name Calling is All They Did. It is actually really embarrassing to see these elected officials and supposed adults acting like middle schoolers.
Pritzker said this about DeSantis,
“Ron DeSantis’s dangerous and hateful agenda has no place in Illinois…He’s trying to pass off his covert racism, homophobia and misogyny as a more reasonable form of Trump Republicanism.”
The Chicago Mayoral Candidates, unfortunately including Paul Vallas, called DeSantis a right-wing extremist. Lori Lightfoot said,
“Ron DeSantis has perfected being a bigoted, racist demagogue.”
Sean Casten - who called Republicans Haters and Extremists and who also denigrated gun owners as having small penises – called DeSantis a Racist and a Coward in a seven-part tweet. In that Tweet, he also called the people in Elmhurst racists and cowards. Here’s a screenshot of the first few tweets:
Let’s remember who Casten really is. He is so filled with hate towards veterans that he voted against naming a US Post Office for a Vietnam POW who spent EIGHT years in the Hanoi Hilton simply because he didn’t like the Republican sponsor of that bill. No one should forget that. He’s the coward.
And this Tweet of his also shows how ignorant and disrespectful to someone who just died. He tweeted this after Herman Cain died.
Side note: Casten was wrong about masks. He will never admit it, but the NY Times did when they wrote a feature article this week titled The Mask Mandates Did Nothing. Will Anything Be Learned?
Continuing On – Back to Pritzker
On top of name-calling DeSantis, Pritzker took it a step further by sharing the email to the DeSantis event, encouraging protestors to show up. Pritzker must feel threatened by DeSantis, a potential opponent in the Presidential race if both men were to get involved.
But, how small-minded do you need to be to share private event details to the public and invite protesters, especially an event supporting Law Enforcement?
Just For Fun, Let’s Compare The Two Governors
A Fiscal Comparison – in 2022, DeSantis ranks 20th, Pritzker ranks 44th
In CATO’s Fiscal Policy Report Card of America’s Governors 2020, Governor Ron DeSantis received a “B” and JB Pritzker an “F.” Overall, DeSantis that year ranked 9th, Illinois’ Pritzker ranked 48th among all the Governors.
In CATO’s 2022 Report, DeSantis was given a C and ranked 20th. Pritzker received another F and ranked 44th.
CATO wrote in 2022 that DeSantis vetoed $3.1 billion in spending and used surpluses for temporary tax cuts in his already low-tax state. He only got dinged for not making permanent tax cuts like other states did.
On Pritzker, the 2022 CATO report noted his tax increases in 2019 and his push for a graduated tax increase in 2020 and the massive outmigration of the state. They wrote, “Pritzker seems oblivious that Illinois faces a crisis as workers, entrepreneurs, and retirees decamp to warmer and lower‐tax states. IRS data show that Illinois has the worst ratio of in‐migration to out‐migration of any state except New York. Illinois loses more than two households earning more than $200,000 per year for each one moving in.” They also noted that he begrudgingly offered temporary tax relief. For that, they gave him a few points and for doubling the Earned Income Tax Credit.
Crime Comparison – In 2022, Florida 50-year Low, Chicago total crime up 41%
Another Comparison and the reason for DeSantis’ visit was crime and Backing the Blue. In Florida, crime is at a 50-year LOW. Murder in Florida is down 14%, robbery down 17% and motor vehicle theft down 6.4%. In Chicago, according to police statistics, total crime went up 41% between 2021 and 2022. Among the biggest cities, Chicago's homicide rate is much, much higher than NY or LA for the last eleven years as reported by Wirepoints.
Schools Comparison – Florida spends less, has higher NAEP Scores and More Choice
When it comes to academic achievement and getting more for your money, Florida does better than Illinois. Illinois spends 75% more on public education than Florida and scores lower on the National Assessment of Educational Progress.
On Educational Choice, according to EDChoice, Florida ranks 1st and Illinois 17th.
Other Comparisons –
Florida is the top in-migration state. Illinois has been an out-migration state for the last nine years and, in some years, has had the highest out-migration.
It is far more expensive to attend college in Illinois than in Florida based on total education revenue per FTE (full-time equivalent). The revenue number per student is a good approximate cost to pay for college as it also includes taxpayer support. Florida's total revenue is second lowest at $10,625 (combined 2 and 4 year). Illinois is the third most expensive at $26,318 (also combined) – AND most of Illinois's revenue is from taxpayers. Read report here.
Overall Personal - Freedom ranking by CATO ranks Florida 2nd and Illinois 37th. The ranking is based on a myriad of factors.
On Abortion - JP Pritzker and his radical Democrats have made Illinois a sanctuary for abortion. He signed into law the most radical abortion bill in the state's history. Abortion up to birth, for any reason, taxpayer-funded, without parental notice for minors, without inspection of abortion facilities, and more. Ron DeSantis signed a 15-week abortion limit - a limit that two-thirds of Illinoisans believe should be in place when polled.
On Protecting Children - DeSantis signed a bill banning "classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards." Pritzker signed a bill allowing for, and in some cases mandating, gender discussions beginning in kindergarten. Vast difference.
Committee to Unleash Prosperity highlighted this chart in their email this week. (I highly encourage you to sign up for they daily quick-read emails that Stephen Moore writes. Use this link.) I don't see any Florida cities on it, but Chicago made the list of places people are leaving. No one wants to live in high-tax, high-crime areas.
On fiscal policy, protecting people from criminals, education, and so much more, the DeSantis agenda is winning. Face it - We all know Illinois Democrats who moved to Florida - many of them with an Illinois pension.
The Bottom-line. Policy Matters. Leadership Matters. Both DeSantis and Pritzker became governors of their respective states at the same time. In those four years, and through the most virulent attack on our freedom during the pandemic, the contrast in how the two led their states through the confusion and misinformation by so-called experts is huge and now defines each man and their legacy.
Florida is thriving, and Illinois is not. And don’t forget that even Pritzker’s own family escaped to Florida during the pandemic. You Just Can’t Make This Up!
Illinois, with all its natural advantages, is squandering its resources and enslaving its people with high taxes and more debt. We need a revolt at the ballot box. That revolt hopefully started this week on February 23rd with the start of Early Voting.