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* My syndicated newspaper column takes a look at a couple of polls that I told subscribers about early last week…
A new statewide poll has found that 59 percent of Illinois registered voters want the Illinois Legislature to begin impeachment hearings against Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
The Glengariff Group poll had Blagojevich’s job approval rating at 26 percent, while his disapproval rating was a mind-boggling 65 percent. The number of voters supporting impeachment is somewhat striking since the “I Word” has not been discussed much in the media.
* The governor’s own party has turned against him…
Even a plurality of Democrats supports holding impeachment hearings. Democratic voters said they supported the idea by a margin of 49.4 percent to 41.5 percent. Independents overwhelmingly like the proposal, backing it 63 to 24. And it’s probably no surprise that Republicans love it. A whopping 73.5 percent of GOP voters said it was a good idea, compared to just 16 percent who said it wasn’t.
* While a clear majority of Illinoisans supports holding hearings, they’re not yet convinced that Gov. Blagojevich should be removed from office, although they do appear to be moving in that direction…
A plurality of 45 percent said they supported “impeachment of Gov. Rod Blagojevich forcing him to leave office,” while 35 percent said they were opposed. Eighteen percent didn’t know.
House Republican Leader Tom Cross has gone out of his way to downplay impeachment talk in the past few weeks. Yet, 57 percent of Republicans and 55 percent of independents want the governor removed. Those numbers ought to give Cross serious pause.
* And here’s the other poll…
Ask Illinois, a group that conducts automated polls, asked 2,301 registered voters this question last week: “If you were given the choice between former Gov. George Ryan and current Gov. Rod Blagojevich, which do you think would do a better job running our state?”
More than half, 52 percent, chose Ryan, the imprisoned former governor. Blagojevich scored 48 percent. The poll had a margin of error of plus/minus 2.19 percent.
You know things are bad when you’re losing a popularity contest to a federal inmate.
* Meanwhile, the News-Gazette editorial board has this thought…
The best way to clean up Illinois’ tawdry government is not in limiting who can contribute how much to candidates, but in strengthening disclosure laws as they apply to political candidates and people who do business with the state.
Theoretically, disclosure works because it shames people into doing the right thing. As I’ve been writing for years, there is precious little shame at the Statehouse. Disclosure alone is not nearly enough.
* Related…
* Recall gives people power to reform
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, May 19, 08 @ 9:52 am
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wonder why TC & THE SOCK PUPPETS don’t like impeachment when they were so keen on recall?
Too bad the Fox crew did not ask….but then forgot to pierce the “I’M Open….” smokescreen too.
Comment by Wild Bill Monday, May 19, 08 @ 10:05 am
The GOP may be able to make some hay from the failure of the Dems to impeach if this continues. Could help the GOP surge back a little even in the face of an Obama presidency.
Comment by Ghost Monday, May 19, 08 @ 10:13 am
I gotta know…if Gov. Goodhair loses out to a convicted felon, how would he score against, say, a dead guy?
Comment by What planet is he from again? Monday, May 19, 08 @ 10:15 am
I agree with the News-Gazette. Shame may not work in Springfield but I believe disclosure is as far as you can go without infringing on free speach. If you limit contributions, the rich guys have an upper hand. Limits also tend to monopolize a polititians time. U.S. Senators and Congressmen probably spend half their time on fundraising. You have to hit up a lot of people to raise a lot of money. Unless you are a “walk on water” type candidate like Obama the money doesn’t just flow in from all the little guys. Let anyone and any group give as much as they want. But let it be reported immediately with significant penalties for not reporting.
Comment by Been There Monday, May 19, 08 @ 10:15 am
“I” word in the Blago Adminstration has been the problem. For the Governor it has I; it has all about him.
Now, the I word is impeachment which is all about him.
Comment by decaturvoter Monday, May 19, 08 @ 10:20 am
If you have experience putting out kitchen fires, you are shocked and overwhelmed a bit when faced with a 5-alarm warehouse fire. Instead of launching right into the fight, there is a moment of utter helplessness when one realizes the magnitude of the disaster.
In our lifetime, we’ve dealt with kitchen fires. Ryan’s term of office was ending as his lackeys were surrendering, Walker’s term of incompetence ended when Daley pulled the plug, Dodge was a corrupted treasurer - not a governor, and we’ve seen others take flight before going down.
But Blagojevich is that 5-alarm fire. He is a governor at the most inopportune time to have him putting his graffiti on our tollway signs. In 2002, we faced an abyss and voted in the candidate that promised change, but had nothing in his record to demonstrate any accomplishments. Although his first term didn’t accomplish what he promised, he was re-elected with the largest war-chest ever gathered by an Illinois gubernatorial candidate.
He could have been a grease fire and handled as such in 2006. Now he is out of control. His first year after re-election saw a fiscal meltdown and a political civil war over the simple, normally mundane task of assembling a state budget. By measuring him strictly as a governor, Blagojevich is a failure.
But now, the scandals. He is “Public Official A”. His chief fund raisers are doing perp walks as he dodges cameras by taking back doors and underground tunnel routes. Like a visit to the Iraqi Green Zone, Blagojevich visits the state capital as though he is a sniper target, instead of a responsible state leader.
And he is not going away. As the miasma of the Illinois economy flops pitifully short of budget expectations and promises, his administration power houses fleeing arrest, his no-show public appearances, the Blagojevich grease fire is now a 5-alarm warehouse fireball. As his former supporters flee the conflagration his arsonist’s political style has created, Blagojevich is threatening to outdo Mrs. O’Leary’s cow as a walking Chicago disaster. (At least the cow gave milk.)
The public is demanding accountability for Illinois’ greatest finger-pointer. The Illinois Democratic Party’s standard bearer has led it into a circular firing squad in the hopes that bringing down his political enemies is justification over the political slaughter of non-combatants. His budget raids, his assaults against JCAR, his untrustworthy promises has added fuel to the fire.
It is not surprising to see shock and paralysis in the face of this situation. But the Illinois Democratic Party annointed him twice; once with eyes closed, but once with them open. It is their responsibility to dispatch Blagojevich in the quickest manner. We hold them responsible.
So of course, they are frightened.
Comment by VanillaMan Monday, May 19, 08 @ 10:24 am
I suspect the turning point will be the result of the Rezko trial. I suspect the outcome will surprise many people — and will put a lid on the government’s pursuit of Blagojevich.
Comment by Macbeth Monday, May 19, 08 @ 10:47 am
This is 2008 and it is 2 1/2 years until the next election. I say it’s even money that the Gov. is re-elected. People have short memories and with the crew in Springfield “It’s not personal, it’s politics”. I see the gov. spreading the “love” around the state between now and the next election. His party will appreciate his change of heart and with their support, he will win another term in 2010.
Comment by Innocent Bystander Monday, May 19, 08 @ 10:56 am
After the con con Fitz will set guv’s term at 8 to 10. Watch listen and learn. Guv flunked G Ryan 101.
Comment by A Citizen Monday, May 19, 08 @ 11:01 am
Macbeth- what stew are you brewing? I would guess that the longer the jury is out the worse it looks for Rezko- it means they aren’t buying the “Levine as bad guy” message. The more time they spend on it the more time they will understand the “kickbacks”- e.g. the Pekin testimony. If it was in and out perhaps you would have seena fast “non-guilty” by an unsophisticated jury. But because of the willing ness to dive into testimony, i.e. Winter, who gave a telling account of how Rezko was devizing how to split up the “fees”, giving some to Kelly, I think Rezko will go down.
The only chance Rezko had was to stay out of court by getting all charges dismissed BEFORE trial. That is what Hurtgen is trying to do.
Comment by GofGlenview Monday, May 19, 08 @ 11:02 am
Blago has sought to impose the mayoral form of government on state government from the day he came into office. Under the mayoral form, it is all about the top elected CEO, and the legislative branch totally yields to his leadership. This approach has obviously not worked.
The resulting political wars have produced two factions - you are either with the governor, or you are opposed to him. It is unrealistic to describe him any longer as a Democrat, after wiping out House Dem projects — he is a Blagojevich, nothing more, nothing less. No longer a Democrat other than being a left leaning populist who is no longer popular with the public.
His unpopularity will not hurt the Democrats in the fall, because he has drifted so far away from the party.
Comment by Capitol View Monday, May 19, 08 @ 11:04 am
Disclosure is what many argued was necessary for years. Well guess what, disclosure clearly does not work. That’s not an opinion. It’s a fact.
When corporations, unions and individuals contribute an unlimited amount of $$ in chunks of several hundred thousand dollars a pop and it merely gets mentioned in paragraph 20 of the latest D2 story (see the treatment of Rod’s donations from the SEIU in the runup to the 2002 election and beyond if you don’t believe me), the system has clearly failed and (high) limits are required.
It’s time our leaders stop being so easily bought and paid for.
Comment by Chicago Cynic Monday, May 19, 08 @ 11:10 am
Vanilla Man, I am starting to build a slight man-crush on you after that last, quite elegant analysis. Your posts are often right on target.
Comment by Vanilla Man Fan Monday, May 19, 08 @ 11:11 am
>>>
Macbeth- what stew are you brewing? I would guess that the longer the jury is out the worse it looks for Rezko
>>>
No stew. But my sense is that Rezko will walk. But you’re right about the longer the jury deliberates, the worse it looks for Rezko.
Comment by Macbeth Monday, May 19, 08 @ 11:13 am
I’ll say this;
I hope the Sun-Times and its news organization stays afloat, despite the long odds. But should it go down, I hope someone is quick to snap up Kristen McQueary. Even when I occasionally disagree with her conclusions, I find her to writing consistently sharp and insightful.
Along with Aaron Chambers, Bernie Schoenberg and the gracious host of this blog, her column is a must read.
Comment by JonShibleyFan Monday, May 19, 08 @ 11:14 am
Like Big Daddy Unruh said, money is the mother’s milk of politics.
Efforts to limit it, in statewide or national races, are futile; you’ll always find a way to get it. You need it to get on radio and TV.
You could go the British route — strict limits on campaign seasons, free TV and radio time — but that seems to Big Brother for our rollicking American political tradition.
Everyone in the state house was elected. They aren’t strangers; they’re us.
Comment by wordslinger Monday, May 19, 08 @ 12:08 pm
Redundant Headlines:
“Governor Unpopular”
“Sun Rises”
Comment by Fan of the Game Monday, May 19, 08 @ 1:01 pm
I am a Bernie Schoenberg fan as well…he is erudite, elegant, and fair…Macbeth must be an insider in this administration, talk about wishful thinking…dream on cowboy!
Comment by Anonymous45 Monday, May 19, 08 @ 1:04 pm
Disclosure doesn’t work because:
1) It assumes voters visit the state board of elections website and analyze contributions before they vote
or
2) It assumes the media analyzes fundraising and draws distinctions between candidates for voters;
AS WELL AS
3) All candidates have credible opponents.
YDD
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Monday, May 19, 08 @ 2:01 pm
Pass an ethics bill that legislates a candidate may raise x amount of dollars and may only spend x amount of dollars. Campaigns run 3 months and all wishing to be elected a public servant do so on a level playing field. Don’t allow a political hacks to be elected to be public servants.
Comment by Dan S, a Voter & Cubs Fan Monday, May 19, 08 @ 2:50 pm
A campaign needs to last longer than three months. This year, the primary was on Feb. 5, and the period for circulating petitions was Aug. 5-Nov. 5. The last day to submit petitions was three months before the primary, and candidates needed to campaign before that day, to obtain signatures.
Comment by PhilCollins Monday, May 19, 08 @ 3:37 pm
Maybe Alan Keyes will run for Governor here…?
As bad as Gov B is…. mismanaging and stripping so much of state depts while using the general fund as his private piggy bank, clearly doing things that most of us are horrified at, he DID cause me to look seriously at retirement. I did so and left years before I planned. Happy as a clam now so I thank him and his appointees for driving me to escape from this mess of a state govt.
Comment by North of I-80 Monday, May 19, 08 @ 3:41 pm
Given the choce between a competent felon and an incomeptent future felon, it’s no surprise to me that Ryan woul do better than Blago. I guess the grass is always greener on the other side of the prison wall.
Comment by Captain America Monday, May 19, 08 @ 4:30 pm
Those pro-impeachment numbers would be even higher if they added an “impeach and flog” option for voters.
– SCAM
so-called “Austin Mayor”
http://austinmayor.blogspot.com
Comment by so-called "Austin Mayor" Monday, May 19, 08 @ 5:42 pm
I do believe that Ryan has beaten Blago in every poll that has been taken.
Comment by Shelbyville Monday, May 19, 08 @ 6:42 pm
Vanilla Man - Excellent Post!
Comment by Herself Monday, May 19, 08 @ 7:35 pm
[…] The Illinois people have wanted impeachment to begin since May 2008. From Rich: […]
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