J.B. Pritzker has announced his bid for a third term as Illinois governor, saying, “Let’s keep Illinois moving forward.” Not a few political observers say that what he really wants is the presidency–yes, the U.S. presidency. Off the top of my head, I can’t think of anyone less qualified to be commander in chief than JBP.
Here are a few of the highlights of how he has “moved Illinois forward” over the last eight years.
– heavy and increasing taxation (property, income, sales, and a myriad of other taxes) for as far as the eye can see (motor fuel tax indexed for inflation and goes up every July 1–this year the gas tax is rising from $0.45 to $0.483 per gallon; – heavy and increasing taxation (property, income, sales, and a myriad of other taxes) for as far as the eye can see (motor fuel tax indexed for infation and goes up every July 1–this year the gas tax is rising from $0.45 to $0.483 per gallon. Illinois currently has the highest combined state and local tax burden in the United States. According to a 2025 analysis by WalletHub, Illinois residents pay an effective tax rate of 16.58% of their income, which translates to about $12,270 annually for a household earning the median income).
– continuing huge outmigration numbers of Illinois residents (losing over 56,000 residents to other states in 2024 alone, ranking 48th nationally);
– an anemic state economy compared with our Midwestern neighbors (in 2024, job growth was 0.8%, compared to 1.2% in the Midwest and 1.4% nationally);
– higher unemployment rate than other states in the Midwest;
– a disastrous state budget crisis (including massive unfunded pension liabilities);
– a radical commitment to making Illinois the abortion capital of the Midwest (including around 35,000 out-of-state abortions in 2024);
– support for “gender-affirming care” for minors (puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and surgery), including public funding, making the state a magnet for out-of-staters coming to Illinois for treatment;
– continued support for Illinois as a sanctuary state, meaning taxpayers pay for healthcare, housing assistance, and legal aid for a disturbing flood of illegal immigrants, particularly in Chicago;
– unlimited support of the teachers’ unions, which has produced plunging (and often abysmal) educational performance in most public schools, especially in Chicago;
– the removal of school choice, even for the poor;
– presides over Chicago as the murder capital of America;
– allows local school districts to initiate major capital spending with less direct accountability.
– electoral manipulation (such as using his inherited wealth to support a weaker candidate in the Republican gubernatorial primary).
If you call all this “moving forward,” then JBP is your candidate.
