Written by Frank Li
Dear Mr. Rauner,
I applaud your decision to run for Illinois Governor and admire your relentless campaign!
Despite my focus on the 2016 Presidential election (e.g. my book “The GOP Bible for 2016”), I pay great attention to Illinois politics. For example, I publicly endorsed Jim Oberweis (An Open Letter to Jim Oberweis) six months ago. Why him but not you then? His situation was so totally hopeless that I felt he would take chances with my radical solution …
Now, your campaign also seems to be in trouble (Quinn vs. Rauner: Rasmussen Gives Incumbent the Edge in Stark Turnaround). So it’s time for you to take chances, too, or you will lose, the Romney style! This is why I am writing you now …
The image below illustrates my qualitative view of American voters’ ideology spectrum, which can be highlighted with three points as follows:
The country, generally speaking, has been moving towards the left, with more Democrats (~45%) than Republicans (~40%)! The numbers are even worse for the GOP in a deeply “blue” state like Illinois.
There are simply not enough Republicans, either in the U.S. or in Illinois, any more! But a Republican candidate can still win. How? By using big ideas to capture the majority of the swing voters in the middle (i.e. the independents and even some open-minded Democrats)!
A successful businessman like you needs even bigger ideas to capture more votes in the middle, in order to offset the loss by the Democratic mantra: “He is too rich to be trusted!”
Specifically, here are three big and bold ideas just for you:
Continue to emphasize the importance of term limits!
Set up an extreme example by promising to serve for one term only! In other words, no more campaigning for re-election, while ignoring pressing problems that matter to the people!
Promise to serve without compensation, just as the founding fathers did more than 200 years ago!
That way, you will draw a stark contrast with Pat Quinn!
That way, you will hugely resonate with the voters in the middle, who are fed up with career politicians like Pat Quinn!
What, then, will you do as a one-term unpaid Illinois Governor? Two main ideas:
Promise to put term limits (e.g. two terms for eight years in total) into the law during your term.
Accomplish everything possible you have already promised to do, especially in terms of fiscal responsibility.
No guts, no glory!
I thank you very much for your attention and look forward to your becoming the next Governor of Illinois!
Best regards,
— Frank
Frank Li, Ph.D.
Founder & President, West-East International, Inc.,
Chicago