SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Gov. JB Pritzker’s combined State of the State and Budget Address Wednesday was so powerful that MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow opened her show playing three minutes of it. “Inspirational,” is how Maddow described it. Illinois Republicans called it abhorrent. What everyone agrees on: It was a budget address like no other, with a message that taxes won’t be raised and a warning that President Donald Trump’s version of government could throw a wrench into state lawmakers’ plans. Pritzker used the word “idiot” to describe Trump and his billionaire adviser Elon Musk, and he compared the actions unfolding in Washington to Nazi Germany. The governor isn't apologizing: He had a whole passage about the Nazis trying to march in Skokie. “I do not invoke the specter of Nazis lightly.” Pritzker said in his speech in the Illinois House chamber, adding he's “watching with a foreboding dread what is happening in our country right now.” In a powerful passage, Pritzker added: “After we’ve discriminated against, deported or disparaged all the immigrants and the gay and lesbian and transgender people, the developmentally disabled, the women and the minorities — once we’ve ostracized our neighbors and betrayed our friends — After that, when the problems we started with are still there staring us in the face — what comes next?” The whole speech is here. Critics see Pritzker’s address as an effort to fuel his political aspirations, though the governor has denied that even saying so in his speech: “I am not speaking up in service to my ambitions — but in deference to my obligations.” Simply put, the governor told reporters later, he is “passionate” about his belief in the Constitution and sees the Trump administration's efforts to sidestep that as an attack on Democracy. He’s not going to keep quiet about Trump. Now, about the budget: Pritzker started his speech by laying out his $55.2 billion proposal that funds schools and pension contributions but limits spending. In a subtle moment of bipartisanship, Pritzker drew applause from Republicans when he told lawmakers in the chamber, “We have to live within our means. If you come to the table looking to spend more – I’m going to ask you where you want to cut.” Democrats were mostly silent. Latino Caucus lawmakers felt stung learning Pritzker wants to eliminate a healthcare benefit for noncitizen immigrants younger than 65. It’s a program that had huge support from Democrats when it was passed. And members of the Black Caucus wished they had heard the governor mention Black History Month or the importance of the Black community in his speech, noting the governor’s sweeping mention of diversity and equity was fine but not enough. Wanting more: “When the budget is passed, will we see those dollars from agencies get to our communities?” state Rep. William “Will” Davis said rhetorically during an interview at the annual Legislative Black Caucus Soiree later in the evening. Pritzker attended the party, too, talking to individual lawmakers and taking the stage to assure his support. In a statement to Playbook, Pritzker spokesman Alex Gough said, “While this budget includes tough decisions and fiscal discipline, we are still maintaining commitments to core priorities, including funding for the Reimagine Public Safety Act’s violence prevention services, increasing MAP grant funding, and more. Governor Pritzker looks forward to an open dialogue with Black Caucus members about advancing these shared priorities.” We talked to state Sen. Lakesia Collins, the joint chair of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus. She had a big-picture take of Pritzker’s budget address, saying his focus on the Holocaust was simply a reminder that “when something happens to one community and you don’t say anything or don’t do anything, it can happen to your community, too.” RELATED Pritzker’s speech on CSPAN WTTW’s Amanda Vinicky has a report with video Budget proposal includes higher federal funding despite Trump, by Bloomberg’s Shruti Singh — Pritzker touts $55.2 billion budget with no new taxes, likens Trump administration to Nazi Germany, by the Sun-Times’ Tina Sfondeles, Mitchell Armentrout and George Wiebe Lots of details in this report, including: Governor proposes reducing prescription drug costs and limiting students’ use of cellphones during class, via the Tribune Pritzker proposes $2B in spending growth without new income or service taxes, by Capitol News’ Jerry Nowicki Black, Latino lawmakers criticize Pritzker’s proposed budget, by Capitol News Illinois Transit funding crisis on Pritzker’s radar but not in his budget proposal, by the Daily Herald’s Marni Pyke If you are Rachel Maddow, Playbook would like to hear from you! Email: skapos@politico.com
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