By: Diane Benjamin
Unlike the Chamber of Commerce who cancelled their interview with Kevin Lower (according to Kevin), the Pantagraph got their Editorial Board together to listen to both Renner and Lower.
It was all for show. http://www.pantagraph.com/news/local/government-and-politics/renner-lower-spar-over-street-resurfacing/article_207506eb-1e52-5c45-a670-1b129fb76763.html
The Pantagraph will endorse Tari Renner because they are progressives (Big government is great!) folks, just like Renner.
They don’t care that Renner is a vile person who attacks anybody who doesn’t agree with him. https://blnnews.com/2015/02/11/tari-attacks-me-again-not-in-our-town/ (I could post MANY more stories)
The don’t care Renner got 204 names thrown off his petitions for mayor because he didn’t care enough to do it right. https://blnnews.com/2016/12/16/renner-survives-gerrards-challenge/
They don’t care that a Renner supporter was illegally campaigning while trying to register voters: https://blnnews.com/2017/02/22/illegal-unethical/
They don’t care that Renner was found guilty of an Open Meetings Act violation and is being investigated for another one: https://blnnews.com/2016/07/15/renner-lies-to-laughlin-again/
They don’t care that Renner has added $47 million to the budget since he became mayor: https://blnnews.com/2017/02/24/show-this-to-tari-supporters/
They don’t care that Tari will say anything he thinks he needs to say, most people call it lies: https://blnnews.com/2016/07/15/renner-lies-to-laughlin-again/ (I could post many more examples)
They don’t care about the Amusement Tax, the Utilities Tax, the Gas Tax, The Sales Tax, the Garbage increase etc etc etc. They don’t care that poor people are now even poorer since Renner became mayor.
They don’t care that capitalism is dead and Crony capitalism is very alive. For example, Renner favored Kroger’s and Green Top over every other like business by handing them tax dollars.
They don’t care the rift between Normal and Bloomington got ripped wide open under Renner.
They don’t care that Renner got less than 50% of the vote in the primary.
The Pantagraph will pretend they thought a really long time about who to endorse. I bet they didn’t. Let’s see if they prove me wrong.
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Lee Enterprises is not a local company. What do they know about the workings of the city except what Renner and Hales tell them? Anyone who bothers to pay attention to the Council meetings and read minutes knows what’s really going on.
I would argue that an endorsement by the Pantagraph or any other paper has little or no value. Why would anyone place a greater value on who they say to vote for than any other person you talk with? Plus, how many people rely on a newspaper as their source of information? Very, very few.
They obviously don’t know that
I too question whether or not the pantagtaph’s endorsement is worth anything. Anyone have thoughts?
The fact that renner got less than 50% of the vote in the primary is not nearly as significant as the fact that just under 20% of registered voters actually voted (http://results.enr.clarityelections.com/IL/Bloomington/66277/184957/en/vt.html). This means that around 2,000 people out of a city of 78,000 (that’s total population) voted for renner.
Why do I get the feeling that if Ian Bayne would have thrown his support behind Kevin Lower or stayed out of the election altogether that Lower would have a stronger chance at winning? Lower is the strongest candidate to beat Renner but I think Ian’s handiwork will result in some people staying home who believed Ian’s nonsense about Lower. Really a public thoroughfare like Veterans and he has the nerve to suggest Lower is supporting Planned Parenthood because Lower’s sign is near there? If Lower loses, we can point to the nonsense from his opponents as a factor. Nothing like hurting the cause for feeding one’s ego.
The sign is by Burger King
My point exactly. Didn’t stop Ian from making a story on his website alleging Lower supports Planned Parenthood. Ian still had a following even after that stunt. Renner and Haumann must have been cackling a while this type of nonsense went on.
Yeah, it’s curious as to why Bayne didn’t show up for the last two forums. In this case I wouldn’t be surprised if he was recruited to potentially take Lower out of the primary. Although Bayne was a bit of a rebel, you don’t work in mainstream media (let alone this town) unless you understand and agree to the narative of controlled opposition.
Fifty-percent in a 5 way primary race sounds like pretty good support to me. Math was never my strong suit, though.
You are correct – he didn’t get 50%. Stay away from math dude! I hope that’s not your job at ISU
Well, close enough for government work: 48.15%. Lower almost got 20%. My math students love me!
Close only counts in a few games.