Friday, December 12, 2008 10:14 PM CST
COLUMN: Disgust with Rod could unite entire Prairie State
By HERB MEEKER, Staff Writer hmeeker@jg-tc.com
The best thing about high-profile political scandals is the gems of wisdom offered by people on the street or along a mall walkway.
One gem hit me in the forehead when Bill Edwards, a white-haired, polite gentleman from Mattoon, verbally turned our governor into road kill on the political highway.
Bill wasn’t running around like Chicken Little as some politicians in Downstate Illinois did on Tuesday — one admitted to being nauseated by the charges while another was making patriotic speeches. I’m surprised one of them didn’t shout out, “I’m shocked, shocked, you allow corruption here!”
None of that hand wringing for Bill. He was thinking ahead to the next time we elect a governor in 2010, excluding any special election brought on by any General Assembly actions driven by bipartisan disgust.
Bill told me Tuesday that Pat Quinn as substitute guv might work, but he was willing to pitch him into political oblivion if he doesn’t work out. If more of our so-called leaders in Springfield had shown that much gumption a long ago we might not be in the mess we are today.
That is the best attitude to take as our state has become a national laughingstock. Tuesday was the second time in four years I did a local reaction story to an Illinois governor facing prison so I was certainly a proud Prairie Stater after getting the news.
But personally, I think we as Illinois voters deserve some of the laughs from the rest of the country.
Now before you start looking for a thick rope and a sturdy branch please hear me out. During the past 10 years we have elected two guys and one of the former governors is now in prison wailing for early release, while the other is on tape sounding like a 21st century cross of Richard III and Lucky Luciano.
So how do we pull our political trousers up from our ankles?
First of all we need to keep focused during the next gubernatorial election on the real issues like school funding reform, infrastructure projects, the health care system, public pensions and some others that produce headaches for political munchkins on the campaign trail.
Unfortunately, many Illinois voters tend to get distracted on other issues like guns.
Before I get dizzy watching all those red laser dots circling around my chest, I would like to point out that I have owned guns. I realize one of the more effective home defense systems involves a shotgun loaded with buckshot and deer slug shells. I believe there is an argument for arming myself with a pair of replica Colt Navies and popping off volleys over the heads of any stubborn intruders. Any throwback fireworks will send those pilgrims packing. And I could quote John Wayne movie lines while shooting, too.
No, no, no, I’ve got to stop shooting my mouth off on guns! Guns are an issue, but not the only issue for this state. We need to keep the eyes on the priority issues I mentioned above.
And Downstate has to make a political comeback. And it doesn’t have to produce a civil war, either.
But we do have to offer quick jabs when the upstaters classify us as bare-footed hicks dressed in tattered overalls riding sway-backed mules to work or school.
We would then ask them that if this part of the state is so primitive then why do so many of them send their offspring to college here? And if we really want to get mean-spirited we might ask the upstaters why their grandparents hated using vowels in their names.
No, all of Illinois has to get it right the next time on the governor race and one way to accomplish that is for the regional sniping to end.
One thing that might bring all the voters together is the disgust factor. And that could unite the North and South of this state like never before. Like Popeye the Sailor Man, there comes a time when we “stands all we can stands and we can’t stands no more.”
And if there are still some Rod lovers around I would like to put them in a room with people like Bill Edwards.
Trust me. It wouldn’t be pretty. But it could make a heckuva party tape that could crack a smile on the face of Patrick Fitzgerald.
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BlueDogDemocrat wrote on Dec 12, 2008 11:06 PM:
BUT
When Democrat politicians get into trouble- Democrats call for unity across party lines. "