What a sucky day for IL Democrats!

[davsand]

Well, Blago finally got nailed. Sounds like he was actually maybe even more corrupt that Ryan was, and now we party folks here in Illinois have to deal with the aftermath. We have an entire list of prominent minority IL Dems who were being floated as possible replacements for Obama, and now everyone is wondering how much they were all bidding for that Senate seat.

I could give a crap what happens to Blago because I honestly think he did everything they say he did and probably more--but they will be unable to prove it. I am totally unqualified to sit on any jury for him because I think he is guilty as sin before anything more than the charges are announced.

What I DO give a crap about, however, is what will we do in this state to support the Dems who maybe did nothing wrong but will be blamed anyway? That pig Blago has screwed us all in ways we have not even seen yet and THAT scares hell out of me.



Laura

[Critters2]

1. You haven't been reading the other threads, apparently.

He's pure as the driven snow, hounded by the evil Patrick Fitzgerald for no reason except he's a Democrat. It's all a setup. Poor, poor Blago! :cry:

Me, I suggest we re-draw the state lines, to leave out that portion north of interstate 80 and east of interstate 39. That should clean things up.

[Robbien]

2. Excuse me? I and my representative live in that area you want to send

floating off into Lake Michigan. My rep., Jan Schakowsky, is a great progressive.

[Critters2]

5. I'm not saying you shouldn't be represented. I'm just saying

downstaters shouldn't continue to have to live with this corruption, and its consequences. Chicago needs to clean things up. IF that can't happen, which is beginning to look likely, then Chicagoans should live with it without mucking up the rest of the state.

Maybe the first clue was that the asswipe wouldn't even live in the governor's mansion because it wasn't in Chicago.

He closed a state park here that he admitted he'd never visited and wasn't even sure where it was. I think a governor should know his way around the state he governs.

Please, Chicago, stop voting for corrupt politicians. Why is that so difficult?

[mopinko]

10. and george ryan was from kankakee

whether that counts as downstate is debatable, but it sure is within your ideal state.

[WildEyedLiberal]

28. 100% agree

He can't be bothered to live in Springfield. He takes particular joy in slashing the budget for my alma mater (U of I in Urbana) because, well, he doesn't see any of that revenue, so he doesn't care if he's jeopardizing the status of a world-class university. He closed 3 state parks in my area because he couldn't care less that they bring revenue and tourists to our small, out of the way little central Illinois towns. He doesn't represent me, certainly. He couldn't care less about me, my family and friends, or my town.

I am sick of being marginalized and unrepresented by my state's government.

[Critters2]

29. Never even made an attempt to work for the entire state.

Three of my parishioners have lost jobs because of this POS...one at Illini State Park and two at Pontiac. They'd still be employed if Fitzgerald have moved faster. And the problems he's created in education!

Yet, there are still people here defending him. :grr:

[mopinko]

6. and probably the candidate that offered nothing but gratitude.

enough with this broad brush crap. there are good, hardworking, decent dems in chicago. lots of them.
and blaggo was elected statewide, not just in chicago.

[Robbien]

18. That is what she is saying. But Danny Davis is so clueless.

He is not corrupt (I believe) but is so clueless. Right now what he is saying is

“I’m still saying I think it’s a bit early,” Davis said. “There are many people hoping this is a great big mistake, that it’s not real, it’s not happening.”


Just think, this guy was supposed to be one of the top contenders for Obama's seat.

[mopinko]

7. no one said that. stop it.

no one said that he was pure. they just said how come rethugs do this stuff all day every day and nobody gets cracked.
this is the kind of shit that makes it hard to be a dem. but i guess you would be happy to have your president come from another state.

[Critters2]

8. I don't care what state my president comes from, if he's honest.

I do care that my own state be governed by honest, committed, decent public servants. Most states seem capable of that at least most of the time. But not this one. Why is that?

[mopinko]

9. you wouldn't have your president without the people that you want to cut off

without the 9th congressional district democrats, we would very likely not have a president obama. we were out in front, we worked our asses off, and were the driving force that got him nominated and elected. we drove hundreds of thousands of miles, knocked on tens of thousands of doors, donated tens of thousands of dollars.
what did you do, keyboard commando?
obama is not an island. he is the head of a party that is FULL of hardworking, perfectly honest democrats.
and please do note that is was chicagoans who blew the whistle.

most states have their share of corruption. wake up and smell the coffee on that one. you live in a complete kleptocracy. there is money in chicago, and that brings criminals and lesser assholes. if you would rather have a world without that, you go ahead and start first.
or maybe move to texas is you don't like illinois. or maybe lousiana is more your speed. pretty much any of those southern red states has plenty of redneck crooks running things. it is human nature. it is every where. there is nothing at all special about illinois. unless maybe it is that the crooks are frog marched out of their homes and thrown in jail, whereas in other places they go about there business without a light ever being shown on them.

[Critters2]

12. Bullshit. I moved here from a state with no such history,

and the state, btw, which started Obama's momentum in the primaries. 3 of the last 7 governors of this state have been indicted on federal charges. That does make Illinois "special". And people like you defending it or shrugging it off only guarantees that this corruption will continue. I know it's business as usual in Chicago. Not so in much of the rest of the state. And your post demonstrates how little commitment there is to cleaning up Chicago's corruption. You may accept it. I find it unacceptable.

And for all your "support" for Obama, every single corruption count in Illinois casts aspersions on him among people who don't know any better. Corrupt Illinois politicians are doing Obama no favors.

[mopinko]

19. people who don't know any better

or don't want to.

you are a bitter whiner. you have been for as long as i have encountered you here. go back to iowa, please. stop slandering millions of people for the actions of one. one who is being prosecuted, unlike so many, like, um, george bush. illinois will not miss you.

[Critters2]

20. You've been an unquestioning defender of corruption as long as I've known you.

Stay in Illinois. You wouldn't know how to function anywhere else.

[mopinko]

26. and you are unable to understand the difference between

acceptance of human nature and defending of corruption. or the fact of double standards. or the fact that i lack a magic wand to make everyone behave. not that i expect anything else from a functionary of the christian religion. black and white thinking at its best.

i intend to stay right where i am, thank you. i am able to accept the imperfection of humans, and live among them. i suggest you go walk the dog now. a creature you can understand and control.

[Critters2]

27. Yeah. Moral standards are such a pain in the ass.

Let's just keep electing corrupt politicians, and bitching when they get indicted. Rather than not electing them in the first place.

[olkaz]

11. Blast from the past: "Blagojevich Sucks" T-Shirt

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=150&topic_id=12644&mesg_id=12644

In retrospect, this thread is hilarious.

[Saturday]

39. .

"Me, I suggest we re-draw the state lines, to leave out that portion north of interstate 80 and east of interstate 39. That should clean things up."

We love you too.

[jaxx]

3. We ought to be used to it by now.

I worry too that this will take the uninformed voter to the right when it comes to the next election. Blago has done a number on us all.

[Critters2]

4. The uninformed voter elected this asshat.

Really...why did anyone vote for him? I'm a committed Dem, but I saw where this was headed. I voted Green in the last gubernatorial election.

[davsand]

16. He was challenged in a Dem Primary and he won. THAT is the sad part.

Voting Green in the General could have been avoided if more Dems voted in the Primary that allowed Blago to even make it to the General. The "uninformed voters" were not limited to just the General.

Just sayin...



As for Chicago -v- Downstate, I gotta say I think the stench in this state is pretty much across the boards. If you all haven't been paying attention there is "blame" enough to go round--be it from north of I-80 or south of I-70. While the Daley Chicago machine is legend, I'll tell you that the area around East St Louis is no political church picnic. I think it would be far more productive for us all to focus on what substantive changes we need to be working on to establish REAL credibility here in Illinois. I don't think an "ethics test" is enough, and frankly, I doubt that any of our party leaders--on EITHER side--really want to give up the influence and power they have currently. As taxpayers and the electorate I think we are gonna have to DEMAND it.



Laura

[Critters2]

23. Yeah. Good luck with that.

I don't see it happening.

[barb162]

49. I agree. All you have to do is look at that Peotone Airport stuff

to see that both parties are involved and both go along with taking the kickbacks, etc.
There's a need for a new hospital in my area and the local hospital keeps going to the state saying this and it keeps getting voted down by that hospital board. There's been a huge population increase here. I know the local hospital went to the authorities about kickbacks being wanted.

[ieoeja]

30. Because prior to today, all the accusations came from Republicans.

Prior to today there was only one minor Democrat caught up in the Pay-to-Play scandal (two if you count Rezko who appears to have been more of an independant money man than a Democrat). Conversely there were dozens of Republicans involved. And they were the ones pointing fingers at Blagojevich.

I have to ask why, prior to today, you chose to believe the accusations of those who are not only our political enemies, but who were also using those accusations to get shorter jail sentences?


Yes, he turned into a tyrant during his second term. He showed signs of that in his first term, but not completely over the top like he has during this second. Furthermore, the people he was fighting were those *known* to be corrupt.

His fighting with them actually gave credence to the notion that the Republican accusations were baseless. Today, of course, that which has come to light shifts the credence meter way in favor of those accusations.

[Critters2]

31. It's not even just the corruption....it's using the state budget

for political punishments, closing or threatening to close public institutions based on his relationships with local politicians, his complete disdain for downstate Illinois. He's a POS even without the criminal indictments.

[barb162]

50. That's because his 160,000 annual salary isn't enough

and he keeps looking for ways to get more money. As I was reading the 76 page criminal charges, I noticed he kept mentioning the financial stress his family was experiencing. I notice his wife wasn't making as much money recently as Rezko is in the can and can't direct real estate business her way anymore. I guess they were living way higher off the hog when Rezko was around. Their 2003 tax return showed their income was 202,000 (Blag was making 150,000 then). The prior year their income was 239000.

[Critters2]

41. Lisa Madigan isn't a Republican.

And she isn't corrupt.

Quit defending this man, and let him go quietly to prison as he should.

[GinaMaria]

15. that's the way he got into office

Ryan was disgraced, the Illinois republicans ate each other for lunch and couldn't agree on anything. Heck, someone with the last name Ryan couldn't even get elected. The Dems finally took back the office of gov. Now what? No one can believe in either party. The time is ripe for an independent.

[GinaMaria]

13. What is it about being Gov of Illinois

that goes with corruption? seriously, most of our govs have been republicans. I'm disappointed that Blag may have ruined future chances for Dems, but how many govs have had corruption issues in this state. I can't seem to remember a time when whoever was elected wasn't in trouble. Do they get there already corrupted? Blag was a wonderful US rep. a normal nice guy I would see at the grocery store. He had a responsive staff. Is there something about the office of Ill Gov that corrupts?

Why is this happening over and over? what the hell is going on in this state? do we hold a record for most corrupt govs elected? Something's broken some where and we need to fix it.

[mopinko]

44. no one ever pinned anything on big jim

not that thompson never did anything. just never got caught. 16 years.

and jim edgar, afaik, is squeaky clean.

[GinaMaria]

45. nothing stuck but

don't you think he was corrupt too? Corruption isn't about having the charges stick. I'm so tired of this crap. What the hell? I'm out of options for who to vote for at this point. This looks like a good time for an independent to run...

[barb162]

47. Edgar was Mr Teflon, nothing stuck,

But I really doubt if he was clean. I think he was an absolutely terrible governor in so many ways (like cutting the mental health budget for this state, the people least able to defend themselves).

[mopinko]

51. afaik, edgar has done nothing wrong. the worst outcome of this would be

for people to assume that everyone who ever sat in that chair is dirty.

for a republican, i think that jim edgar was an honest and decent man. although i agree that he made a lot of budget cuts that hurt people, and allowed our infrastructure to deteriorate. BUT, he didn't spend money he did not have, personally, or as governor. i remember well being shocked at his financial disclosure statements that showed that the only debt he had was the mortgage on his house.
i have no recollection of any accusations against the man, or any complaints beyond him making cuts because he refused to spend what he didn't have. and for the most part, it wasn't even really him cutting, it was the first blast of the reagun onslaught.

it was a long time ago, and if i am wrong here, i would be happy to be educated.

[barb162]

46. I wonder if governors from other states are so clean.

I think they aren't. They're maybe just more careful.

[Critters2]

52. I know the current governor of Iowa. Not well, but I know people who do know him well.

And yes, he is clean.

Even among those who aren't "clean", few rise to the level of corruption Blago has demonstrated. Holding back money to a hospital for a political contribution? That's more than corrupt. That's just evil.

[barb162]

14. Actually it's a good day if we get someone clean in as governor.

[olkaz]

17. Exactly. We are finally free of this incredibly incompetent pompous jerk.

Now we can fix the mess he left, which is moving in the opposite direction of his leadership.

[mopinko]

21. it is a good day when justice is served. better this than

to have corruption continue unabated. we prosecute criminals here, no matter how high the office. i am proud of my state.

[Critters2]

22. It's not the state doing the prosecuting. If ti weren't for the US Attorney's office,

there's no reason to believe Blago would ever have been held accountable.

[davsand]

24. I trust Lisa Madigan's office.

Seriously. I do.

I had reservations when she announced because I have never been a huge fan of Mike Madigan. After I met her and learned a bit more about her I had a much higher comfort level with her. AFTER she assumed office I have had the opportunity to work with her people on some stuff and I have been VERY impressed with them all--without exception. I think they "get" it, and I am very proud of them all.

Did you know that one of the "Little Doyles" is working for her now? Yep, he's all graduated from law school and on her staff. I just talked to him a couple of weeks ago when they were all down here representing the people's interests in a Carle proceeding. Talk about strange! I remember when that kid was tiny!

BTW, CCHCC got a tentative agreement on that Carle antitrust thing. Carle agreed to open the doors for medicaid people AND allow for treatment of patients with prior debts! That was also out of Lisa Madigan's office.

http://www.news-gazette.com/news/courts_crime_fire/2008/12/06/carle_clinic_antitrust_deal_limited_to_champaign_county


:shrug:



Laura

[Critters2]

25. Yeah, she's one of the good ones. But it's sad that it takes the Feds

to keep cleaning things up in this state. I just had a phone call from a friend/colleague in Iowa. Called to verify I was going over for a conference, but then asked why these things keep happening in Illinois. Said Iowa has never had a governor indicted, let alone convicted and sent to prison. All I could say is that the two states have very different cultures. People in Iowa would never have given someone like Blago a second term. It's embarrassing to have to explain this to people in states with no such tradition.

But, hey, how the hell is one of the Little Doyles out of law school?!! That would mean I'm old.

Good news about Carle! I still believe justice ultimately prevails, if people are willing to do the hard work and stand against it. I'm just not sure most people are. I'm a funny mix of naive optimism and bleak cynicism all rolled into one!

[ieoeja]

33. She *was* investigating at one time. But the feds asked her to back off. n/t

[barb162]

48. Interesting.

As many people have been asking why she "never" went after Blag on the corruption. She mentioned on Larry King last night that Blag cut her budget by 25%. I know the two have been feuding for some time.

[ieoeja]

32. Ironically I was actually going to post an OP in GDP titled ...

A Great Couple Months for Illinois Democrats!


First, we get Obama elected president. Then we get rid of Governor Albatross. The resignation/impeachment of Blagojevich will finally let Democrats get down to the work of running this state instead of engaging in fights with a petty governor.

We are supposed to be the Party that makes government work for the people Instead, one individual Democrat in the Governor's Mansion has succeeded in bringing the entire structure to a grinding halt time and time again.

This is the best thing that could have happened to us in Illinois. I'm having a Miracle on Ravenswood Manor moment here!

Merry Xmas, Illinois Democrats!

Fitzmas came early. And I am one Illinois Democrat who couldn't be happier.

[Critters2]

34. A minor point...but he's never lived in the governor's mansion.

He doesn't DO downstate, ya know.

[ieoeja]

35. He does, however, *use* the governor's mansion with it's offices, etc. n/t

[Critters2]

36. Apparently, you've never been to Springfield either.

The governor's office suite is in the Capital Building. This POS has never made use of the governor's mansion.

[ieoeja]

37. Will you at least believe Illinois Republicans?

Yes, he returns home most of the time. But he does use the Governor's mansion from time to time.

http://www.senategop.state.il.us/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=424&Itemid=123


You really hate people north of Springfield, don't you?

[Name removed]

38. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[olkaz]

40. I actually lived in an apartment overlooking the mansion for about three years.

And my wife and I noticed him actually showing up there probably five times. The place has nothing but the cleaning/groundskeeping help and the occasional tour, that's it.

He cost the taxpayers millions and millions of dollars to fly his ass down and back every day he had no choice but to be in Springfield for something. Couldn't stay overnight, couldn't take road transportation. I'm thinking we didn't get a very good deal.

[mopinko]

42. yes she does.

all the people in chicago are responsible for the theft of her car stereo, and for making her afraid. nobody should ever do anything bad, see, and if you think that people do and will do bad things, then you are bad too. oooga boooga wooga.

[Critters2]

43. According to one poster who lives near the mansion,

he's used it four or five times. In two terms. That's a lot less frequently than "from time to time".

[Name removed]

53. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Critters2]

54. See post # 40.

I've known plenty of people who hate all of IL except their little corner. They've tended to live in the NE corner.

[WildEyedLiberal]

56. Yep, I met tons of them in college

I walked into class once to overhear two girls talking, one of them saying something to the effect of "yeah, I don't even care, EVERYTHING south of I-80 is southern Illinois! GIGGLE!" I heard this or variations of this more times that I can count, from personal acquaintances and random strangers alike. I was also asked repeatedly if I'd ever drank moonshine or tipped over a cow, or (insert pathetically lame rural redneck joke here). Ha ha ha, clever, ha ha ha... :wtf:

Either Chicagoland schools fail to teach basic geography to their students, or the vast majority of Chicagoland kids are arrogant assholes. Hmm... :eyes:

[Critters2]

57. Yep. When I was preparing to move from Chicago to Champaign,

I had to keep explaining that I was not moving to "southern Illinois". Actually, the possibilities in your last sentence are not mutually exclusive. Chicagoland schools can fail to teach basic geography while, at the same time, the majority of Chicagoland kids can be arrogant assholes.

[Radical Activist]

58. In Carbondale, new students from Chicago

were often surprised to learn that Illinois goes far enough south to border St. Louis. I mean...wtf...this is basic geography about the state you live in. Look at a map of something other than "the city" once in a while!

[Critters2]

59. I'm enjoying the other thread, where anything south of I-80 is "southern Illinois".

:eyes:

[rosesaylavee]

60. ...

Just a silly suburban type here. We have cows too here in Kane County AND urban problems. And as per this thread, we are now not liked by those south of I-80 as well as Chicagoans. Whew. Good to know.

Well, time to tip the cow. :hi:

[WildEyedLiberal]

61. Hey, I had plenty of suburban friends - it's hard not to at U of I

The ones who weren't so arrogant and narrow-minded as to dismiss everything south of Chicagoland as some sort of bumfuck backwoods, anyway. Unfortunately, there were plenty of the latter. One wonders why they lowered themselves so to attend a "southern Illinois" college.

[rosesaylavee]

62. I wonder if there is a way of overcoming the divide

in this state? Arrogance on one side and anger on the other and sometimes, as per this thread, both traits are interchangeable between the groups. I have lived in central illinois and have experienced both. Made the mistake of saying I was from Chicago when I was introduced because I didn't think any one would know or probably care which little small town I grew up in outside of Chicago.

Wrong. Didn't make some friends as they just couldn't get their head around my coming from 'there'. By the time I figured out my error (a former Chicagoan clued me in), it was time to move to the next part of the country for us.

[mopinko]

63. i blackballed a potential member to our artist's co-op, in part

because she lived in mundelien, but in a statement that she gave us, she kept referring to herself as from chicago. now, if you live in evanston that is one thing. but nobody in their right mind that lives in mundelien thinks of themselves as from chicago. it just tipped me off that she was a phony, and in checking out some of her other info, it turns out she was stretching and padding her little heart out. the sad thing is, we might have taken her if she had been honest. but i just couldn't get the bad taste out of my mouth.

[rosesaylavee]

64. But see, it may be a Chicago suburb thing and not meant to be dishonest at all

I think. When anywhere but from around here, I usually just say I am from Chicago as shorthand for where I am from. Just automatic. If pressed, I say, actually I am from 40 miles west of Chicago as usually it is pretty much a marker for location for people. If they get to know me or ask, I give them the sordid details as to my precise town but usually people are just trying to place someone geographically.

The woman from Mundelein - I don't know what her deal was. It may be a reflection of 'lack of identity' the suburbs suffer from or she was trying to pad her resume. Don't know.

[mopinko]

65. actually, i was something she said to get a commission.

like many other things she said, it was to get something.
it was more than that, just something that raised my antenna. and she said it to people with studios in evanston. :crazy:

[rosesaylavee]

66. Oh ok

I haven't ever said it to get something. It's just a conversation short cut. However, that said, if I COULD get paid for saying I am from Chicago... I mean, now that I know that being from Illinois means being all about the money, lots of opportunities await me. :eyes:

Hope the art biz is going well!

:hi:

[mopinko]

67. it sucks eggs, business wise

another year of the annual sale of NOTHING. happy with my work, but it sure is stacking up. :-(
but, obama buttons are still selling, anyway.

[olkaz]

55. Actually, you can ask me directly, I'm that guy.

During that time I was actually a pack-a-day plus smoker (and my wife wouldn't let me smoke inside, I've since quit), so I was out on my balcony constantly. So yeah, I pretty much watched it all the time. That particular apartment building has lovely balconies, and I definitely wasn't the only person who took advantage of it.

I can give you the name of the apartment complex if you're interested. Heck, you can run by and ask some of the residents there and see if my story holds up.