Yes, Virginia there is “outrage”
Thursday, Nov 8, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I’m not sure what planet the Daily Herald editorial board lives on, but it doesn’t include Illinois. The DH ran an editorial today about George Ryan’s imprisonment and asked…
Where’s our outrage over this? Yes, we might be understandably cynical to the point of submission. But we can’t capitulate to the culture of corruption. At some point, there has to be the kind of backlash to this entrenched thievery of public trust and tax dollars that will evoke change.
There is definitely “outrage” out there, as numerous polls have shown lately. Rather than blindly foaming at the mouth over what it wrongly sees as nonexistent voter rage, perhaps the DH could offer up some helpful suggestions.
* Meanwhile, the Tribune editorial board took note today of the poll first published in the Capitol Fax earlier this week…
In the two-plus weeks that reporters have been asking Rod Blagojevich and his staff about a proposal to remove him from office, the governor and his mouthpieces have maintained stiff upper lips. All this discontent with Blagojevich will be forgotten, they suggest, when Illinois voters comprehend all that he has done for “the people.”
Problem already. “The people” — including many who helped re-elect Blagojevich a year ago — apparently want to fire him. The idea of amending the Illinois Constitution to permit a voter recall of Blagojevich is an ascendant theme in the discourse of this politically gridlocked state.
I’ll have more on this topic in tomorrow’s Sun-Times.
* The AP compares the former governor to the current governor, and not favorably…
It might seem incredible that as a former Illinois governor reports to federal prison, the current chief faces similar misconduct allegations, from handing out state contracts as political rewards to accepting money under suspicious circumstances. But this is Illinois.
Democrat Rod Blagojevich, who won the chief executive’s office five years ago on a promise to clean up former Gov. George Ryan’s mess, has wound up besieged by accusations.
Two people already have pleaded guilty to federal charges in a shakedown scheme that also ensnared one of the governor’s closest fundraisers.
And federal prosecutors have acknowledged they are also investigating “serious allegations of endemic hiring fraud” under Blagojevich.
Jay Stewart, executive director of the Better Government Association, blames an arrogant political culture in Illinois where the philosophy is “take what you can get.”
* Check out the photo that the AP included with this story. Ouch.
* More Ryan stuff, compiled by Paul…
* John Kass: Delusion lingers longer than freedom for Ryan
* Eric Zorn: Ryan comedown takes Thompson too
* Editorial: End of an era, or another chapter of a sorry saga?
* Where are they now? Key players in the Ryan scandal
* Ryan’s new identity for the next six years will be 16627-424
* Ryan reaches end of road: prison
* Former gov Ryan slips into Wisconsin prison
* Prison seen as a ’sad end’ for ex-governor
* Ryan’s new life, quiet, regimented
* Ryan arrives at prison, maintains innocence
* In Oxford, George is just another visitor
* Editorial: As Ryan goes to prison, ethic measure stills stalled
- Ghost - Thursday, Nov 8, 07 @ 10:17 am:
I am outraged that they have failed to notice all of the outrage. This is outrageous reporting.
- VanillaMan - Thursday, Nov 8, 07 @ 10:52 am:
When Blagojevich made Ryan an issue and continued to point fingers at him throughout his first term, he tied himself to Ryan with his tongue. When he looked better than Ryan, this game worked. But after five years, Blagojevich is no longer seen as a white knight slaying a Kankakee dragon, but as another dragon.
Now that Ryan is jailed, we are looking at Blagojevich and continuing to do the comparisons he encouraged for so long. By his own words and methods, Blagojevich is being sunk by George Ryan’s fall.
- Levois - Thursday, Nov 8, 07 @ 10:59 am:
That pic of Blagojevich almost shows him taking up a trait of Bill Clinton. He’s biting his upper lip.
- Reddbyrd - Thursday, Nov 8, 07 @ 10:59 am:
I do not remember IL voters and/or the always righteous IL media calling for Ryan’s recall.
I realize they were busy on trips, puffing the stoogies and the such.
- Trafficmatt - Thursday, Nov 8, 07 @ 11:20 am:
I have to agree, at least to a certain extent, with the DH on this. While the polls do show outrage, I go back to the old saying “the proof is in the pudding”. In the last election, everyone of the pundit class knew what our current governor was doing: getting millions in campaign contributions from those that wanted to work for the state in an amazingly effortless way and being gleeful about it. He then used those millions to take his hairdoo on TV and convince the public that his hairdoo was worthy of another 4 years. The public bought it. They could have voted for his primary opponent, but didn’t. They could have voted for the red head, but they didn’t. The dark clouds from the US Attorney’s office were clearly seen, but the public still liked the Governor’s hairdoo.
While there is certainly outrage, will the outrage manifest itself in the intestinal fortitude necessary to vote out those that view corruption with a wink and a nod or do they just get dazzled by slick advertising and spinmiesters?
So far, I would have to conclude that the spinmiesters are winning.
- Pot calling kettle - Thursday, Nov 8, 07 @ 11:38 am:
How long before all of those demoted or fired as payback or hired to do no-work jobs build up to a “tipping point” that brings Blago crashing down?
Never?
I realize that the practices are not uncommon, but the magnitude seems greater than in the past.
- Shelbyville - Thursday, Nov 8, 07 @ 11:41 am:
I have to agree with Bill Roberts. Why would anyone even hint at misconduct and as blatantly as the current governor does?
- Captain America - Thursday, Nov 8, 07 @ 12:24 pm:
Sociopaths, political or otherwise, do not have consciences. Ryan will never repent.
Blago will probably end up protesting his innocence to the bitter end too.
If I were a member of the Daley/Bridgeport crew, I’d start getting very nervous aboot the federal investigations of their blackmail and extortion schemes.
I think we’re getting very close to a tipping point in terms of political outrage about taxes and political corruption. Public enthsuaism about a recall initative is just the tip of the iceberg.
- Anon - Thursday, Nov 8, 07 @ 12:41 pm:
I’m confused. Why did you post a pic of a Cabbage Patch doll?
- dan l - Thursday, Nov 8, 07 @ 1:14 pm:
I’d like to congratulate Eric Zorn, for writing the dumbest article of his career. Every time we say “Eric, you can’t set the bar any lower”, he manages to write something even more ridiculous.
I’d respond to it. I’d try to explain it. I’d try to go into how his loopy nuance is merely non-sense. But it’s just so transparently retarded that it doesn’t even warrant the response.
- Rod sez I'm pork - Thursday, Nov 8, 07 @ 1:20 pm:
“Ryan’s new identity for the next six years will be 16627-424.”
You think with Ryan’s connections he could have scored a lower prisoner number.
- Loop Lady - Thursday, Nov 8, 07 @ 1:47 pm:
Captain America: You rock dude, except patronage is a system that for the most part, works.
I hear that the IG at City Hall is letting positions remain open and qualified city employees are being denied promotions for which they are qualified. This isn’t good either. The moral of the story may be police yourself or be policed by the Feds.
- Little Egypt - Thursday, Nov 8, 07 @ 3:05 pm:
I encourage people who may be outraged over Ryan’s imprisonment to keep their eye on the ball today of all days. Thirteen years ago today Ben, Joseph, Samuel, Hank, Elizabeth, and Peter Willis died in a fiery crash. I would like to believe that somewhere in Oxford, Wisconsin, there is an ex-governor who remembers this date, November 8, 1994, as something other than his election day, but I have serious doubts. God bless these 6 children.
- LG - Friday, Nov 9, 07 @ 12:34 am:
I disagree, dan l. I originally felt the same way about posting on Zorn’s blog, but broke down and went into a bit of a tirade a couple of hours ago to raise an awareness that he’s being a bit presumptious in assuming that he speaks for all of us.