Thread by @StuLoren

1/ I've argued ad nauseum for a more practical approach to public safety, business and public finance in #Chicago and #Illinois. But my sense is I'm mostly reaching people predisposed to my moderare to center-right views. So a brief thread for my #progressive friends on the #left

2/ I want to start out by saying that some of the smartest and nicest people I know identify as progressive. They are good people. They want good things. Yet I think many have a naive worldview and as a consequence don't appreciate the practicalities of achieving their aims.

3/ Here's the main issue insofar as Chicago and Illinois are concerned: stuff costs money. States and cities don't have their own central banks that can just print money and finance deficits. There's a real cost to progressive policy initiatives that have to be borne by someone.

4/ So say you like the idea of progressive priorities like affordable housing, higher wages, more expansive childcare options, you name it... This stuff has to be paid for. And those ultimately on the hook at the state and city level are residents and businesses.

5/ So "just raise taxes" you might say. Well, what happens when taxpayers are tapped out?

6/ They move.

7/ "Then tax businesses more." But what happens when the business environment deteriorates?

8/ They move, slow down or just don't hire.

9/ "Then just borrow more." We can't on good terms. (Bs are bad, really bad)

10/ "Then divert current spending programs to other stuff." Well, pensions consume so much spending that little discretionary flexibility exists.

11/ "Ok, then just de-fund the police. Free up money for progressive priorities..." Well, declining public safety just creates the same problems of people and businesses leaving. And tourist dollars staying away.

12/ If you're a progressive and you care about progressive priorities, God Bless. I don't necessarily see eye to eye, but I think you're probably a good person with good intentions. Just realize that achieving your goals requires a stable economy and better public safety.

13/ Pro-business is Pro-gressive. The only way for the city and state to get out of our fiscal mess are through increasing the overall pie to grow city and state revenues.

14/ Play the long game here. Focus on policies that actually will grow the economy so you can achieve whatever social policy and economic justice goals that you are seeking. If the economy stagnates or contracts, then those goals are simply just not achievable.

15/ I've been consistent on this message since I started using Twitter last year (see my original thread on all this). Like many of you, I also want to the best for our city and state. But I think you have to chart out a realistic course to get there.

https://twitter.com/StuLoren/status/1455045477284687883?s=20&t=umFY_r2saemeg4x4P0U80Q

16/ Now if you're still reading and willing to keep an open mind that I'm a thoughtful dude, and you haven't come across my stuff before and are also willing to keep an open mind on your policy views, I think it's really important to consider the following threads of mine.

17/ The below on our pension mess, which is at the root of our state and city's fiscal challenges:

https://twitter.com/StuLoren/status/1600592510430347265?s=20&t=umFY_r2saemeg4x4P0U80Q

18/ The below on why raising city property taxes just is not going to make any difference other than causing more people to leave and further burdening those who stay:

https://twitter.com/StuLoren/status/1602499879900975104?s=20&t=umFY_r2saemeg4x4P0U80Q

19/ The below on Chicago's economic challenges:

https://twitter.com/StuLoren/status/1570096409059397632?s=20&t=umFY_r2saemeg4x4P0U80Q

20/ The below thread on rethinking the purpose of our city and regional economy in a changing economic environment:

https://twitter.com/StuLoren/status/1509036992327262210?s=20&t=EGGESoVDY1VjYRUpDbtMzw

21/ And a thread examining our current economic environment and why a changing macroeconomic regime is really going to put the screws on indebted states/cities like Illinois and Chicago.

https://twitter.com/StuLoren/status/1582775336554487813?s=20&t=umFY_r2saemeg4x4P0U80Q

22/ If you made it this far, thanks for keeping an open mind. While I don't acribe to many aspects of the progressive agenda, I understand where I live in the country and realize that any improvement to our region's economy and quality of life needs progressive political buy-in.

23/ Hopefully I've made the case just a little for why it's also in the interest of progressives to support policies that lead to better economic growth and public safety. We'd all benefit from that.