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Morning shorts
Friday, Sep 8, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller * “The state retirement fund that pays former Gov. George Ryan $16,420 a month has taken the first step toward revoking his pension, but recent case law may prevent a complete shutoff of benefits.” * “A federal judge has refused to throw out a lawsuit over Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s requirement that pharmacists dispense emergency birth control. U.S. District Judge Jeanne Scott ruled that seven pharmacists, including four from the metro-east, who refused to offer the so-called ‘morning-after pill’ have a legitimate argument that the rule violates their religious freedom.” * FDA ruling puts pharmacists in crossfire * Miller: The mystery of Ryan corruption: Exactly why did he do it? * Over-the-top quote of the week, by Judy Baar Topinka: “To our College Republicans, our county chairmen, to all of you in business and industry who have stuck it out through these miserable four years under Rod Blagojevich, let me tell you, not only is help coming, I’m the sword of justice and I’m going to cut him to pieces. We will take him out with my little rolling pin known as the assault weapon. I will prove to him, indeed, it is an assault weapon.†* Judge tosses dealer’s lawsuit vs. automaker [Story includes Vrdolyak material] * Delaying Ryan sentence doesn’t sit well * Ryan, witness could share prison * Emergency drill no disaster * 10 reasons why George and Rod are similar * Jim Leach is blogging again, but at a different location * No Child law near perfect? Blagojevich begs to differ * Guv changes Lottery revenue estimates: “My initial reaction is: how convenient” * Friday Beer Blogging: George Ryan Redux
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- Bill - Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 7:44 am:
The sword of justice…cut him to pieces…
She’s losing it. Someone adjust the medication!
- Pat Hickey - Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 7:57 am:
Rich,
Sober thoughts on the Ryan fiasco. Life is not like poetry - that is the Romantic (black & white Platonic dualism so necessary to any political, religious, or social extremism - Rousseau was a pooch of human being, but influenced so many like Thoreau, Emerson, Byron, Wagner, and even old Al Hitler) influence - life is prosaic - quotidian tasks, messing, hit-or-miss, and sometimes there are happy outcomes.
In this ‘change-the-channel’ culture, there is no room for the consideration of loyalty and fidelity long with duty and honor. One set or the other.
George Ryan is not simple nor is he complex; he is like all of us. The George Ryan that I ahve personally experienced is a man that I could never cast a vote for, nor have I ever, but a man that I will visit in Oxford, as if he’d care. That is the point.
An effective politician plays politics and politics is made uglier these days by agenda driven think tanks, pollsters, academics, and finacial powerhouses. Take a look at a man like William ‘Doc’ Walls - he put his political neck out there in April of 2005 and never gets a whiff of ink - let alone hard copy from the Chicago Media. In the lists of ‘candidates lining up’ against Daley on this very BLOG ‘Doc’ Walls was also an after thought to most. Where isthe hew and cry?
George Ryan is going to jail - I think that is shame. With all the hot rhetoric and poetic wax hitting the fans, this is a Romantic Age. More’s the pity.
- Beowulf - Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 8:10 am:
I just read Rich Miller’s column in the Chicago Sun-Times on George Ryan and Why Did He Do It? Rich Miller was “spot on” in his analysis of what makes George Ryan tick. My guess is that George Ryan is sitting at his breakfast table this morning, drinking his cup of coffee, and actually reading Rich’s psycho-analysis of George. George is probably saying to himself, “Yeah, I guess Miller is correct. He knows me better than I know myself.”
Rich hit the bulls-eye on George Ryan. I live near Kankakee County and I am in my late 50s. It has always been a cess pool of political corruption down there to the point of where political corruption is simply accepted. Sounds a little like Cook County and Chicago, doesn’t it? I had a second cousin who had an insurance agency down in Kankakee in the 1970s who was a close friend and political supporter of the late Paul Powell (Shoe Box Paul, as he was affectionately called by my relative)and one of the former Kankakee County Sheriffs. The sheriff down there had a stolen car scam going on with this 2nd cousin of mine (we all have horse thieves in our family tree that we aren’t proud of and my second cousin, Ray was one of them).
The sheriff had the cars stolen and Ray turned them in for the insurance money. They eventually got caught after about 7-8 years, I believe the sheriff went to jail, and I do know Ray committed suicide. I was a kid in my late teens at the time. I met this colorful cast of Kankakee characters back then while being around Ray (my insurance agent & relative). These guys talked about the corruption crap that they and other political types had ongong as if they were talking about the weather. IT WAS THE ACCEPTED WAY of conducting everyday government business down there in Kankakee County as far as these guys were concerned. I guess they thought it was their “entitlement” as it had ALWAYS been practiced in Kankakee County for many generations.
Anyway, George was simply a product of that environment. Did he know that it was wrong? Definitely! But, when you grow up in a family where every member of your family orders their steaks medium-rare, chances are that you will also order your steaks medium-rare. When you lay down with dogs, you shouldn’t be surprised that when you get up that you are going to have fleas. George Ryan had a bad case of fleas.
I am not attempting to defend George Ryan nor his actions. I am simply pointing out that Rich Miller has shown an excellent insight into the former governor of Illinois (with fleas), George Ryan.
- Truthful James - Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 8:24 am:
George Ryan did it because he could. You think that the Mexican driver was the only guy to make an indirect contribution to his campaign fund? I know of one Korean immigrant who could speak English was solicited for a bribe. He came to me and I called the SecState police who conducted a perfunctory interview and then…nothing. My hunch is that most of the non-English speakers got ‘an offer they couldn’t refuse.’
Ryan was no friendly pharmacist.
- Wumpus - Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 8:28 am:
Unless these pharmacists are government employees, Rodney needs to shut up.
- doubtful - Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 9:39 am:
Can’t get to the pharmacists link for some reason.
Judy has lost her mind. Time for a new speech writer. One without an English Lit degree.
- zatoichi - Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 10:07 am:
The over the top quote of the week would fit any pro wrestler promo spot. Chris Jericho could not do much better. Throw in a litle smoke, a stare down with finger pointing, and she has a match.
- a friend - Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 10:31 am:
I couldn’t get to the pharmacist story link either. in a nutshell, as I unerstand it, a spingfield based fed judge allowed a case, filed by a group of metroeast pharmacists, against the state’s morning after pill rule to move forward. they were fired by walgreens because they wouldn’t dispense the pill to women (the pill is basically the equivalent of two or three birth control pills). a state rule requires pharmacies that sell any form of birth control to make the morning after pill available to women, if prescribed by their doc. should a pharmacist refuse to dispense the drug for any reason, the pharmacy must make sure that another pharmacist is available to dispense the drug.
I think this is such a non-issue. why shouldn’t a woman be able to go to her local pharmacy and get a perscription filled? all this does is give dems and gop an opportunity to create more divisions between people and rally up their troops. although, I agree with the state’s rule.
- Pat Hickey - Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 12:06 pm:
Here’s Question - First the set-up: Kass writes a stall-blowing expose of a hearty Ryan and an amiable Big Jim confrontation is the potty! Here it is (complex sentence)
Who is the young reporter ( well dressed like a lawyer); did the young reporter file a similar story; was the young reporter Kass’ Legman; or is the ‘young reporter’ a fictional device?
- Anonymous - Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 1:01 pm:
So Topinka’s now threatening the Governor of Illinois with bodily harm. It’s official. She’s lost her marbles.
Imagine if George Bush said something like that. People would be burning tires in the street all over the world calling for his impeachment.
Congratulations Rod. Your 4 more years are in the bag.
- Gus Bode - Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 1:12 pm:
Wow, the JBT quote. I really thought she would probably win until I watched her acceptance speech in March. What a *****. So now Illinoisans are stuck with two of the worst candidates you could possibily have. No matter who wins I think the Guv and JBT are just kindered spirits.
- Buck Flagojevich - Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 2:56 pm:
Gus,
You better watch out. If you compare JBT to Blago, she just might whack you with a rolling pin.
- Disgusted - Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 10:45 pm:
Rod and Judy - two reasons to vote Green.
- NoGiftsPlease - Saturday, Sep 9, 06 @ 7:49 am:
We have already voted green — money has no party and the events in Illinois have proven that. As for the pharmacists, what is to stop them from refusing to dispense anything they interpret as against their religion? Maybe you think sexually transmitted diseases are “earned punishments.” So now, you won’t dispense AIDS or other venereal disease treatments? Maybe you won’t dispense birth control pills to unmarried people, or prenatal vitamins to unmarried pregnant women? Maybe you see who is going to church on Sunday in your town, and won’t dispense medicine to unbelievers? It is a slippery slope, and unlike urban areas, there may not be 100 different pharmacies to choose from. Along with the license you get from the state to practice pharmacy comes the obligation to dispense prescription medications notwithstanding your feelings about the underlying conditions that call for them. If your religious preferences get in the way of your professional duties then you need to find another profession — or go work for the Taliban in Afghanistan.