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* Rep. Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton) writing in the Chicago Tribune…
Marcus Tullius Cicero was a Roman philosopher, politician and lawyer. During the dictatorship of Gaius Julius Caesar, Cicero championed a return to the traditional republican government.
In Illinois, Cicero has become synonymous with the crime and corruption that permeate all levels of government. The symbolism is rich. In this state, the remarkable, the principled and the noble are defiled by our ruling class and the culture of corruption they perpetrate.
Last week, in a brazen display of power, House Speaker Michael Madigan and his lawyer Michael Kasper silenced the appeal of tens of thousands of Illinoisans of all political stripes who simply asked that voters have a say in the manner in which election maps in the state are drawn. […]
Fittingly, it was the philosopher Cicero who stated, “A nation can survive its fools and even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within … the traitor moves among those within the gates freely. … For the traitor appears not a traitor; he speaks in the accents familiar to his victim … he infects the body politic so that it can no longer resist. …The traitor is the plague.”
Madigan has spent decades rigging the system, unchecked by members of the political establishment. These are Cicero’s traitors. They have so infected the political process in Illinois that the people are silenced via loopholes written into election laws by those in power so that they are able to maintain that power. The ruling class took an honest initiative of the people and through political gamesmanship ensured its demise. […]
To all the people who just had their names thrown out and voices silenced by Madigan and his supermajority of traitors, I say: Back a new initiative.
Discuss.
*** UPDATE *** With a hat tip to a commenter, Cicero never uttered that “traitors from within” line. It’s actually…
A paraphrase from a 1965 essay by Justice Millard Caldwell. The paraphrase appears to be from the Second Catiline Oration but drastically changes the rhetoric.
Oops.
And from another commenter, here’s an actual quote from Cicero…
He only employs his passion who can make no use of his reason.
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 3:01 pm
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Thanks, Rich, for the new name of my fantasy baseball team next season.
Comment by 6-4-3 Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 3:04 pm
Listening to a Republican whine about election maps is pretty laughable.
Comment by Anon Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 3:08 pm
Welp, the hyperbole is …fun.
…
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 3:09 pm
the Trib actually printed this for an Illinois state legislator? someone licked some bad stamps today…
Comment by PoolGuy Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 3:10 pm
Madigan has developed strong ties to many of the local governing boards with the Town of Cicero which is only nominally Republican. Madigan allies handle much of the legal work for the school boards.
Comment by Upon Further Review Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 3:11 pm
I think Ives is a little naïve is she believes this was an honest initiative.
Comment by Come on man! Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 3:12 pm
I think this editorial would have been perfect if it would have only included the last sentence.
Comment by PoolGuy Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 3:14 pm
I know Ives likes to talk to herself. I hope one day it does some good. Here’s hoping that all the mega donors to the remap petition ask for a refund on their money for botching up the task of gathering actual voter - not fake - voter signatures. Maybe Ives call tell herself that too.
Comment by anon Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 3:14 pm
Back a new initiative, i meant only that part.
Comment by PoolGuy Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 3:14 pm
…always teaching that Ives…
Rep. Ives could be the Conservative Female voice in all the General Assembly…if she would just stop with the teaching and talking points and red meat for the sake of hyperbole.
If she was willing to rehab her image , and do 2-3 things that in no way change anything she believes, advocates…her impact and position in that Caucus would be enhanced greatly, and her influence and voice would be felt under the Dome more effectively.
But, “teachers teach”.
Waste of talent…it’s not even as much fun mocking her Dopiness, now I just see wasted talent.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 3:14 pm
I can hear the people of the coliseum chanting her name now “Jeanne Ives! Jeanne Ives!”
Comment by yo Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 3:14 pm
So challenging the ballot initiative in court is now a “brazen display of power”?
Cicero was right, we will survive Jeannie Ives.
Comment by tominchicago Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 3:19 pm
Joe Walsh you will soon have a partner in the political burn out house. Next stop for philosopher Queen Ives will be Fox radio.
Comment by Obamas Puppy Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 3:19 pm
Funny she brings up Cicero as synonymous with corruption. Isn’t that town run by the GOP?
Comment by train111 Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 3:20 pm
Speaking of Cicero, I wonder if Ives is ready to call out her handler Proft on the subject?
Comment by William j Kelly Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 3:22 pm
“are you not entertained…???” that sounds like Ives and Trib’s new motto as this is hardly newsworthy.
Comment by PoolGuy Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 3:23 pm
Not that I don’t agree with some of her points, but her manner and hyperbole are ridiculously short-sighted.
It must be exhausting being “right” all the time and never passing a bill or doing anything of significance for your constituents.
Comment by LincolnLounger Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 3:25 pm
Did Ives mention how she feels about Rauner’s attorney trying to knock the libertarian and constitution party candidates for governor off the ballot?
Comment by William j Kelly Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 3:27 pm
Treason, eh? That’s a serious offense. The most serious.
I guess we have to take it seriously, coming from a General Assembly member and West Point grad (she’s a West Point grad, right? I think I heard her mention that once of twice).
Since the deep-thinkers on the Tribbie edit board took it seriously enough to publish, how should we handle it? Scaffolds in Pioneer Court? Firing squads up against the Tower walls? Billy Goat triple-cheeseburgers?
Hard to believe that a big-city newspaper believed they were shedding light by publishing such hysterical ravings.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 3:28 pm
In Illinois, the name Democratic Party is a complete lie and bad joke. It should be changed to the Disgusting Party to more accurately reflect their policies and actions concerning participatory democracy.
Ives may not be popular, but she’s not entirely wrong about this. The courts have confirmed the sad state of our rigged election laws that have disenfranchised Illinois voters for decades while violating basic constitutional rights.
And how is it that fake signatures in order to vote are never a problem that we have to worry about, but fake signatures on petitions are often alleged but rarely proven? Both are felonies. Yesterday the supporters of same day registration were all saying voter fraud isn’t a problem, but today Madigan, Quinn, and the entire slate of Illinois Democrats will start accusing the Green Party candidates of “fake” signatures to “protect the integrity of our elections”, as Steve Brown repeats every petition challenge season. The double standard and hypocrisy by Democrats is disgusting.
I wish our election laws did not treat petition signatures as the exact same thing as a vote, but as Ives points out, this perverted election system that the Democrats have crafted with assistance from Rs, is only meant to preserve power.
Comment by Jeff Trigg Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 3:34 pm
Understated and subtle, just what we expect from Ives and the Trib editorial page.
Comment by Phil Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 3:35 pm
William j Kelly - Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 3:27 pm:
Did Ives mention how she feels about Rauner’s attorney trying to knock the libertarian and constitution party candidates for governor off the ballot?
=======
No kidding, very good point. I doubt she will say a word about that, and I doubt any of the IL political media will be intelligent enough to even ask her.
Same with Madigan, Quinn and the Democrat slate trying to kick the Greens off the ballot right after they try to brag about same day registration being such a tool help voters participate. I like same day registration, but it’d be a ton better if there were candidates on the ballot to choose from.
Voter fraud is never a problem for Democrats, that is, unless Greens or independents are trying to get on the ballot.
Comment by Jeff Trigg Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 3:38 pm
Treason has quite a penalty in this country. Wonder how Ives and the Tribbies want to handle it.
Hard to believe that a big-city newspaper would print such hysterical ravings.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 3:40 pm
I suspect this display of “righteous indignation” would be neatly tucked away had Ms. Ives been fortunate to be from Texas, Indiana, Kansas, Mississippi, etc, etc.
Comment by Knome Sane Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 3:42 pm
Rule of Law uber alles!*
*Except when I don’t like the result.
Comment by Chi Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 3:44 pm
Illegal Immigrants? NO!
Illegal Constitutional Amendments? Yay!
Comment by Chi Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 3:44 pm
I thought the Tea Party was about “reclaiming the Constitution”. Here, the courts threw out the initiative as being inconsistent with the Constitution. Wouldn’t the “traitors” be those who wanted to defy the Constitution?
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 3:45 pm
Ives is calling people traitors? That’s a laughable charge coming from a neo-Confederate.
Comment by Precinct Captain Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 3:45 pm
It’s truly unfortunate that shriekers like Ives help the Democrats’ sock puppets to again change the subject. (Isn’t she obnoxious? How naive!)
Just ‘cuz she’s a self-important blowhard doesn’t mean she isn’t absolutely right.
Comment by Adam Smith Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 3:46 pm
Dreck. The State Board of Elections enforcing the requirement of a proper number of valid signatures means that “the people are silenced via loopholes?”
This could have been written by Blago. Attacking the Speaker and quoting Cicero to demonstrate her erudition, while ignoring the facts, reminds me of our former Governor.
Comment by Just the Facts Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 3:47 pm
It’s hard to take something like this remotely seriously given the author. That said, I like the history lesson…err the ancient history lesson.
Comment by Chicago Cynic Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 3:50 pm
Sometimes I get the feeling she’s auditioning to be the next Sarah Palin.
Comment by anon Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 3:56 pm
Laughable!!! For her talk about how the democrats are leading us into constitutional disintegration, she defends this unconstitutional ballot measure. Pure hogwash.
Comment by Ducky LaMoore Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 3:57 pm
Good message but what a lousy way to represent yourself in a major newspaper. This would rate a D in English 101.
Comment by OLK 73 Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 3:59 pm
The Tribune has been publishing some dubious content lately.
Comment by The Prince Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 4:01 pm
Also Cicero: He only employs his passion who can make no use of his reason.
Comment by MAK Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 4:03 pm
What history lesson? Cicero never said anything remotely like that.
It took me 0.49 seconds to find the quote is “misattributed” to Cicero. Here’s the discussion on Wikiquote: “A paraphrase from a 1965 essay by Justice Millard Caldwell. The paraphrase appears to be from the Second Catiline Oration but drastically changes the rhetoric.
Actual example from Second Catiline Oration: “But why are we speaking so long about one enemy; and about that enemy who now avows that he is one; and whom I now do not fear, because, as I have always wished, a wall is between us; and are saying nothing about those who dissemble, who remain at Rome, who are among us? ”
Google is your friend.
(Rep. Ives probably ought to Google “treason” too, since she doesn’t seem to know the meaning of the word. But that’s another issue.)
Comment by olddog Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 4:04 pm
The old Pat Quinn could have written this, save maybe the “treason” part.
Wordslinger: You’re right - Madigan may help guys who steal $100,000 from schools, but he’s no traitor! Heck, some of those gangsters in the late 30’s/early 40’s were downright patriotic.
Comment by lake county democrat Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 4:04 pm
The Prince “The Tribune has been publishing some dubious content lately.”
What do you mean “lately”? Kass has had a column for years now.
Comment by tominchicago Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 4:09 pm
Jeanie Ives is the Cal Skinner of the 2010s and the Dan Duffy of the House. She could have the absolute best ideas in the world but nobody would listen because of how she conducts herself. Rather than working for change, they prefer to hop on the stump and make speeches. They cannot even get their colleagues to go to bat for them (many would prefer to stick the knife in the back).
This is the same woman who berated a homeless lady in the minimum wage debate by asking her what degrees/academic experience she had to back up her opinion.
Comment by 4 percent Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 4:14 pm
There is one thing to have a disagreement with a colleague.
It’s another to call a Caucus, or people specifically, as “traitors”
I was going to leave things as they were on my comments, but the “brazen” hyperbole of “traitors” makes me believe that the shock value and word choices are driving get meager attempt to explain away her frustration in the process working.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 4:15 pm
===unless Greens or independents are trying to get on the ballot. ====
ITS NOT THAT HARD!!!!! If you can’t find enough registered voters to sign your petitions then maybe the system and society are trying to tell you ahead of time that your views are not anywhere near a majority. Otherwise follow the rules (by maybe reading them first), get good signatures and get on the ballot.
Comment by Been There Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 4:18 pm
Well, if you are going to misquote famous orators…
This is a perfect description of her, her failings, and Ives’ complete ignorance to understanding you are judged by words, spoken or written.
Stock is plummeting.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 4:23 pm
This is a perfect description of Ives, her failings, and Ives’ complete ignorance to understanding you are judged by words, spoken or written.
===He only employs his passion who can make no use of his reason.===
Stock is plummeting.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 4:30 pm
3 questions. One, who exactly is the traitor for following the law and not allowing tons of apparently fraudulent signatures to count?
Two, how many signatures did Jeanne Ives collect herself?
Three, speaking of Cicero (Illinois) is Ives trying to surpass her handler Dan Proft as most ineffective windbag in Illinois?
Comment by too obvious Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 4:32 pm
I doubt there would/will be this kind of criticism if the IL Supreme Court turns the language of the contitution on its head regarding pensions and the T-word is thrown around.
Again (and again and again): where is the outrage for politicians who fight so hard to minimize the power of citizens votes as much as they possibly can? Traitor is a loaded term and no elected official should be using it in print in this context - it’s like throwing “Nazi” around carelessly - but the pooh-poohing of basic democratic principles on a political board is disheartening. Happy 4th of July y’all!
Comment by lake county democrat Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 4:35 pm
“To all the people who just had their names thrown out as traitors, like Speaker Madigan and his supermajority, I say: Back a candidate to stop her madness from infecting the Illinois General Assembly.”
Please…
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 4:40 pm
another Republican trotting out the traitor card on a Democratic elected official. (see use on Obama ad infinitum.) it’s like she’s taken lessons from a parrot.
Comment by Amalia Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 4:53 pm
Wheaton’s Michelle Bachman.
Comment by Michelle Flaherty Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 5:26 pm
The author is Ives…need we say more?
Comment by ... Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 5:26 pm
It will play well in Du Page County, but less well elsewhere.
Some interesting polls out today on the national Zeitgeist.
Comment by Upon Further Review Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 5:42 pm
@4 percent:
The Cal Skinner reference is apt. Difficult to believe that he was once a candidate for statewide office with the full endorsement of the party. He had a lengthy career as a gadfly.
Comment by Upon Further Review Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 5:48 pm
This is the reason Democrats will no retain control of the Governor’s Mansion Illinois. And the house of cards will fall. And those in power shall squeal like piglets taken off the teat of their mother sow. And Term Limits shall cometh to the land.
Comment by Can't See the Forest for the Trees Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 5:48 pm
=== The urban politicians like the reapportionment decisions which insure their control of the state houses and the Congress. ===
I believe this refers to the requirement that legislative districts contain equal population.
Comment by Bill White Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 6:04 pm
@Can’t See the Forest:
I think that the Governor’s race is too close to call, but I do not see how Democrats will lose the legislature since so many seats are uncontested.
Comment by Upon Further Review Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 6:09 pm
Does misquoting Cicero make you eligible for Moutza of the Month?
Comment by The Prince Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 6:31 pm
“Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?” - Rep. Jeanne Ives.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 6:42 pm
At least Blagojevich got his quotations correct.
That says a lot about Ives now that I think about it.
Comment by Macbeth Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 6:46 pm
“The Zen philosopher, Basho, once wrote, ‘A flute with no holes, is not a flute. A donut with no hole, is a Danish.’ He was a funny guy.” - Rep. Jeanne Ives
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 6:48 pm
“Play it again, Sam.” - Rep. Jeanne Ives
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 6:51 pm
On the list of useless wastes of taxpayer money, West Point’s attempt to educate Jeanne Ives must rank near the top.
– MrJM
Comment by MrJM (@MisterJayEm) Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 7:01 pm
Don’t fluoridate our water, bro’
Comment by Bill White Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 7:15 pm
@Bill White
It would poison our precious bodily fluids.
Comment by Ducky LaMoore Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 7:32 pm
Do you think Erica Borggren and Jeanne Ives exchange a “secret handshake?”
No, me too.
Comment by Arthur Andersen Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 7:35 pm
http://www.elections.il.gov/downloads/electioninformation/pdf/2014canguide.pdf
It’s a link to the 2014 candidate’s guide.
If you want to get your green/independent/democrat/republican/tea party/”the rent is too damn high” candidate on the ballot…follow the rules.
Comment by Under Influenced Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 7:53 pm
In a democracy, where the laws should reflect the will of the majority, how can a super-majority be traitorous?
Comment by Bill White Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 8:34 pm
I think Millard Caldwell stole the quote from Taylor Caldwell (no relation that I can tell)as it appears in her novel _A Pillar of Iron_, a fictional account of Cicero on p. 609. Like his speech, the novel came out in 1965.
Comment by G'Kar Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 8:49 pm
I don’t fear Rep. Ives too much - after all, “A nation can survive its fools and even the ambitious”
Comment by Rusty on my Latin Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 9:14 pm
olddog, not to disparage your 0.49 seconds of research, but I long ago learned to take anything with “wicki” in front of it with a grain of salt.
Please note that for the majority of the Cicero quotations they made, they first provided the latin then the English translation. They didn’t meet this standard for the quotations they claimed were “misattributed” They just proclaimed the quotation wrong and gave their interpretation of what THEY claimed was correct without referencing the original latin. Unconvincing scholarship at best. The Judge who wrote the essay unfortunately didn’t footnote his quotations, but it’s unlikely when writing his essay that he made that up from his own translation. While I don’t claim to be a scholar of antiquities, I DO know that historians draw from references other than a person’s writings for quotations heard by third parties. Perhaps other Roman historical works provided that quotation. What the Justice wrote certainly has as much validity as an anonymous wicki author.
I’ve learned over the years that when someone uses a quote with at least SOME valid source, I’m reluctant to be critical of them unless its in a scholarly paper. I find it unworthy of any well read person to use this as an excuse for political criticism.
Such action on your part demeans both you and your message. I expect better from you in the future.
Grade for olddog: C–
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 9:44 pm
The Republicans will take back the Governor’s house.
Comment by Can't See the Forest for the Trees Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 9:47 pm
@OW
=“Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?” - Rep. Jeanne Ives.=
To take the tact of “olddog”, you lose all credibility if you misquote someone!LOL Using the 0.49 seconds of research that is the apparent standard for olddog, that quote source is from SENATOR Bluto Plutarsky, who I believe was a pseudo Republican from Oswego (or was it Wheaton?). Sound familiar?
You’re exposed. OW, or should I say SENATOR BLUTARSKY?LOL
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 9:52 pm
@Anon3:08=Listening to a Republican whine about election maps is pretty laughable.=
A lot of what she says is laughable,-until I remember I live in her district.
Comment by DuPage Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 9:59 pm
@Bill White I am hoping that was a joke. The whole point of the democratic-republican structure of our governments is to prevent the destructive impulses of transient majorities without accounting for repercussions
Comment by Res Publican Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 10:39 pm
Ives never claimed to have visited fifty-seven states, did she?
Comment by Upon Further Review Thursday, Jul 3, 14 @ 1:04 am
@ Anonymous 9:44 pm
Got home late and didn’t see your post till now …
Thanks for sharing your opinions on textual criticism. You’re entitled to whatever opinion you wish, but I stand behind what I said — the alleged “quotation” from Cicero is bogus.
If you don’t understand how Wikiquote works, just let me know and I’ll be happy to supply a link on crowdsourcing. I won’t assign you a grade, though. Surely we can agree to disagree without making personal comments.
Comment by olddog Thursday, Jul 3, 14 @ 1:29 am
More from Taylor Caldwell’s “A Pillar of Iron”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taylor_Caldwell
“Antonius [i. e., C. Antonius Hybrida] heartily agreed with him [sc. Cicero] that the budget should be balanced, that the Treasury should be refilled, that public debt should be reduced, that the arrogance of the generals should be tempered and controlled, that assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed lest Rome become bankrupt, that the mobs should be forced to work and not depend on government for subsistence, and that prudence and frugality should be put into practice as soon as possible.” - A Pillar of Iron (1965).
This sentence is regularly attributed to Cicero, but it’s Caldwell’s own, not in Cicero’s actual work.
Comment by Bill White Thursday, Jul 3, 14 @ 2:05 am
I get a kick out of seeing all the Democrats throw a fit when a Republican says something that strikes a note which rings to the heart of the dilemma.
Comment by bogus Thursday, Jul 3, 14 @ 6:11 am
And bogus, if I were a republican, I’d be embarrassed to have Ives call herself one.
Comment by PublicServant Thursday, Jul 3, 14 @ 6:26 am
“I get a kick out of seeing lemmings throw a fit when Ives says something that strikes a note which rings hollow and untrue, or or racial, instead of discussing the straw man of her dilemma.”
Better.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jul 3, 14 @ 8:03 am