1. - walkinfool - Monday, Dec 3, 12 @ 11:58 am:

   Best Budgeteer?




2. - shore - Monday, Dec 3, 12 @ 12:01 pm:

   political bar in chicago
   political print journalist
   political columnist
   editorial board




3. - Empty Chair - Monday, Dec 3, 12 @ 12:04 pm:

   Best political bar and restaurant in chicago.

   Best run campaign




4. - Cheswick - Monday, Dec 3, 12 @ 12:08 pm:

   Best use of social media by a politician.




5. - wordslinger - Monday, Dec 3, 12 @ 12:09 pm:

   Most Over-hyped Story of the Year

   Most Neglected Story of the Year




6. - Anonymous - Monday, Dec 3, 12 @ 12:21 pm:

   Rookie of the Year?




7. - Joe Bidenopolous - Monday, Dec 3, 12 @ 12:21 pm:

   Most amusing use of social media by a politician.




8. - Anonymous - Monday, Dec 3, 12 @ 12:25 pm:

   Best Legislative Liaison




9. - Takes one to know one - Monday, Dec 3, 12 @ 12:28 pm:

   best political reporter.




10. - Stuff happens - Monday, Dec 3, 12 @ 12:34 pm:

    Durbin lost my vote/support with all of his SOPA/PIPA nonsense.




11. - Spliff - Monday, Dec 3, 12 @ 12:35 pm:

    Favorite indicted elected official?

    Most missed legislator? (retired, deceased, lost)




12. - Skeeter - Monday, Dec 3, 12 @ 12:36 pm:

    Is there really a contest this year for commenter? Can’t we just give it to Oswego and then move on to other discussions?

    Also, you may want to combine the bar/restaurant categories and the bartender/waitress categories, and then add same for Chicago.




13. - Spliff - Monday, Dec 3, 12 @ 12:37 pm:

    Favorite lame duck flip-flop?




14. - Anonymous - Monday, Dec 3, 12 @ 12:38 pm:

    Best federal investigation.




15. - Dan Bureaucrat - Monday, Dec 3, 12 @ 12:47 pm:

    There are so many types of good legislators. It seems like we should break it up some:
    Best Dressed Legislator
    Most Likely to Succeed Legislator
    Most Principled Legislator
    Stands Up for the Little Guy Legislator




16. - Yossarian Lives - Monday, Dec 3, 12 @ 12:56 pm:

    Give a legislative staff award for each caucus?




17. - Anonymous - Monday, Dec 3, 12 @ 1:13 pm:

    Best new person (non-elected) Must be 1st sesion in Springfield.




18. - Jake From Elwood - Monday, Dec 3, 12 @ 1:17 pm:

    Best Public Act of the year.
    Worst Public Act of the year.
    Best IL court decision of the year.
    Worst IL court decision of the year.
    Best Scandal of the year.
    and last but not least…
    Best Public Pension Mascot of the year (amphibian category).




19. - Dan Bureaucrat - Monday, Dec 3, 12 @ 1:36 pm:

    Maybe agency awards for:
    Grace Under Pressure
    Making Do While Disastrously Underfunded




20. - Marie - Monday, Dec 3, 12 @ 1:41 pm:

    I’d like to see some intern love. Perhaps “best legislative intern” & “best PAR intern” could be categories? Sure, you’d have to be an insider to have met them, but it’d be a way to include some up-and-comers. And ditto to “best political reporter.”




21. - Grandson of Man - Monday, Dec 3, 12 @ 1:45 pm:

    How about funniest or best caption? Some of those are very funny.




22. - Yossarian Lives - Monday, Dec 3, 12 @ 1:53 pm:

    I’ll second the motion for an intern category. The great thing about both those programs (ILSIP and PAR) is that for the most part the interns get thrown into the trenches to do the same work as everyone else. It’s a unique opportunity that most other states don’t offer.




23. - Lakeview Larry - Monday, Dec 3, 12 @ 2:03 pm:

    Best tweeter of the year.




24. - Eve - Monday, Dec 3, 12 @ 2:09 pm:

    Perhaps adjust the ratio of campaign staffer to legislative staffer awards. Last year it was 4:1.




25. - Dirt Diver - Monday, Dec 3, 12 @ 2:35 pm:

    I agree with Eve. Campaign to Legislative staffer should be 2:1. I would alter it so there is 2 campaign and 1 legislative. Perhaps “best senate campaign staffer” and best “house campaign staffer”. Or to give the GOP a chance, “best republican campaign staff” and “best dem campaign staff”. Either way, “4 campaign staff” is pretty high, “squeezy high”.




26. - Dirt Diver - Monday, Dec 3, 12 @ 2:37 pm:

    Also add the Jack Franks award, which goes to the “biggest media hound” among elected officials.




27. - door to door - Monday, Dec 3, 12 @ 2:39 pm:

    Most effective campaigner




28. - Chic Geek - Monday, Dec 3, 12 @ 2:44 pm:

    Best Legislative Liason




29. - Cheryl44 - Monday, Dec 3, 12 @ 2:54 pm:

    The Squeezy Lifetime Achievement Award.




30. - internal - Monday, Dec 3, 12 @ 3:00 pm:

    Ask Rich about a line he’s used a number of times with PAR interns and others.




31. - Yossarian Lives - Monday, Dec 3, 12 @ 3:08 pm:

    Okay, Rich, I’m asking - what’s the line?




32. - Michelle Flaherty - Monday, Dec 3, 12 @ 3:47 pm:

    in order to get the Steve Brown award shouldn’t you stick in the job for more than six weeks.




33. - WhoKnew - Monday, Dec 3, 12 @ 4:01 pm:

    Most “Shoot, Aim, Ready” Legislation for the Year!




34. - Steve Brown - Monday, Dec 3, 12 @ 4:42 pm:

    Sometimes six weeks seems like a lifetime ..just ask __________________!
    Why are the only choices for pol bar Chicago and SPI …Have you never been to cdale, STL, Champaign, Peoria, Rockford? If we are going off campus lets go all the way
    How about a category for best video poker machine location
    .




35. - Pete Granada - Monday, Dec 3, 12 @ 9:05 pm:

    Best political web site: Capitol Fax




36. - Arthur Andersen - Monday, Dec 3, 12 @ 9:10 pm:

    Best “FUMU” Quinnie Promotion after winning a Golden Horseshoe?




37. - Anon - Monday, Dec 3, 12 @ 9:31 pm:

    Was last year’s winner in Bold? Is the one in parenthesis proposed winner for this year?




38. - Anonymous - Monday, Dec 3, 12 @ 11:48 pm:

    Most frequently swiped CapFax commenter handle. ;)




39. - A Modest Proposal - Tuesday, Dec 4, 12 @ 7:58 am:

    best lame duck in the GA
    best lame duck congresscritter

Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.