Question of the day
Tuesday, Sep 6, 2011 - Posted by Rich Miller
* WJBC Radio takes a look at the Farm Bureau’s “Adopt-A-Legislator” program…
A group of nearly 40 young people and their parents from the south side of Chicago visited the McLean County Fair Thursday as guests of the McLean County Farm Bureau through the Illinois Farm Bureau’s Adopt-A-Legislator program. The program pairs McLean County Farm Bureau with Illinois State Representative Thaddeus Jones in the 29th District.
“We are teamed up with them in their area just to try to learn about each other, and what we have in common and the differences that we have,” said Fred Grieder, a member of the government affairs committee and a county director with the McLean County Farm Bureau.
At the Farm Bureau’s invitation, Jones brought a group of nearly 40 children and adults from his district to tour the McLean County Fair as a part of his Y29 program. Y29 stands for “Youth 29th District” and the goal is to educate young people in the district about programs throughout the state of Illinois. Jones said this is the first time they’ve come to the McLean County Fair and worked with Farm Bureau members, but he hopes to do it every year.
* The Question: What other groups ought to start an “Adopt-A-Legislator” program? Explain how that might work.
Snark is heavily encouraged.
- Anonymour - Tuesday, Sep 6, 11 @ 12:21 pm:
The State Medical Society — oh, wait, they’ve already adopted many.
- Downstate Commissioner - Tuesday, Sep 6, 11 @ 12:25 pm:
Regional School Superintendents-But they need to “adopt” Governor Quinn-bury him under the state-mandated paperwork he doesn’t think they’re needed to do.
- OneMan - Tuesday, Sep 6, 11 @ 12:27 pm:
The American Actuarial Society needs to have this program to help legislators understand how pensions work…
- Smoke E. Chambers - Tuesday, Sep 6, 11 @ 12:30 pm:
If they had more support, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) could adopt some for second hand smoke.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Sep 6, 11 @ 12:35 pm:
Mushroom Growers of America
Com Ed, the docs, the trial lawyers, etc., they don’t adopt legislators, they own them.
- Commonsense in Illinois - Tuesday, Sep 6, 11 @ 12:49 pm:
The inmates at Terra Haute Federal Correctional Facility…might as well get to know the future newbies…
- so... - Tuesday, Sep 6, 11 @ 12:55 pm:
MENSA and/or The American Association of Neurological Surgeons.
Their first adoptee should be Governor Quinn, so they can improve his brain or give him a new one, because the one he currently has is clearly not up to the task.
- soccermom - Tuesday, Sep 6, 11 @ 12:56 pm:
Is this like the Adopt-A-Highway program, where you bring in a squad of people to try to clean them up every few weeks?
- Esquire - Tuesday, Sep 6, 11 @ 1:01 pm:
The registered voters of Chicago. In this city, too many politicians are elected to serve in the Illinois General Assembly by voters who do not anything about the candidates that they are electing. In some districts it is considered a sign of astute political awareness if a Chicagoan can identify his representative or state senator by name. That is not good for our state.
- Cincinnatus - Tuesday, Sep 6, 11 @ 1:03 pm:
Catholic Charities, but it can’t be funded by the state.
- Solomon - Tuesday, Sep 6, 11 @ 1:09 pm:
Hey! …I liked my suggestion..
- Bring Back Boone's - Tuesday, Sep 6, 11 @ 1:18 pm:
“Illinois mobsters and GA staffers for the legislative scholarship program”
- One of the 35 - Tuesday, Sep 6, 11 @ 1:27 pm:
The U. S. Attorney General’s office.
- Casual observer - Tuesday, Sep 6, 11 @ 1:31 pm:
The American Bar Association could work one-on-one with legislators to teach very complex legal topics such as “Single subject legislation”.
- Jake From Elwood - Tuesday, Sep 6, 11 @ 1:33 pm:
Can we just send most of them off as “foreign exchange students” to Turkmenistan or Paraguay or something? I recall we shipped Carol Mosely Braun off to New Zealand a few years ago with little complaint.
- Ghost - Tuesday, Sep 6, 11 @ 1:34 pm:
CapFax…
replace your current interns with legislator interns….
- Jake From Elwood - Tuesday, Sep 6, 11 @ 1:35 pm:
Come to think of it, that idea might not be embraced by the President as he endeavors to improve international diplomatic relations.
- Ghost - Tuesday, Sep 6, 11 @ 1:35 pm:
I forgot to add…ig you putlegislators in as capfax interns they can interview themselves e.g. Woody Allen in Bananas
- siriusly - Tuesday, Sep 6, 11 @ 1:42 pm:
The Chicago Tribune Editorial Board adopt-a-legislator program includes an editorial board visit for each legislator. While there, the Tribune will explain that legislators used to listen to what they said. They will use historical archives to demonstrate that at one point in the last century, the Tribune was actually relevant.
Siriusly though: I have heard from more than one GA member that the Farm Bureau program is great and clearly very meaningful. I think a lot groups try to emulate it.
- anonymoose - Tuesday, Sep 6, 11 @ 1:43 pm:
Assimilated Beer Distillers of Illino….
Annulated Bear Distributer Caps of Illiopolis
Analysis of Beer Distinguished in Illinois….(hic)
ABDI
- Knome Sane - Tuesday, Sep 6, 11 @ 1:48 pm:
Sir, my vote cannot be bought! However, it can be rented….
- CircularFiringSquad - Tuesday, Sep 6, 11 @ 1:50 pm:
How about CIndy Redfield and Andy “Hand Out” Shaw. They could learn that nearly everyone is out for the special deal or fix. THey might see campaigns cost money since the media covers little that the polls and debates from the won/loss perspectivce.
- Mike - Tuesday, Sep 6, 11 @ 1:57 pm:
Planned Parenthood’s Adopt a Legislator Program would be refreshing.
- Tim - Tuesday, Sep 6, 11 @ 2:05 pm:
Illinois Pork Producers
- reformer - Tuesday, Sep 6, 11 @ 2:30 pm:
The ISRA should adopt City legislators. Get them out to the range. Probably wouldn’t do any good on the North side.
- Ghost - Tuesday, Sep 6, 11 @ 2:36 pm:
The NRA could adopt legislators….whether the legislator was willing or not
- Anonymour - Tuesday, Sep 6, 11 @ 2:45 pm:
The ISBA can fill out the adoption papers and handle the court work.
- Wensicia - Tuesday, Sep 6, 11 @ 3:54 pm:
The Chicago Cubs.
- Cincinnatus - Tuesday, Sep 6, 11 @ 4:03 pm:
Toastmasters. Especially with the Governor.
- Justice - Tuesday, Sep 6, 11 @ 4:09 pm:
The borrow pits along the Interstates could adopt Quinn’s jobs program…..naah….too much in common!
- Judgment Day - Tuesday, Sep 6, 11 @ 5:02 pm:
“Illinois Pork Producers”
Are we talking about:
1) Being the Hogs
-or-
2) Slopping them?
If we are talking about “Being the Hogs”, that’s going to require hiring additional legal representation, as the current residents housed by the IL Pork Producers are sure to object and file lawsuits over the hygiene of the “new” arrivals.
As to adoptees:
a) Waste Management - Chemical Waste division
b) Fukushima Daiichi nuclear response team
c) American Bottoms Wastewater Treatment division
- Pat Robertson - Tuesday, Sep 6, 11 @ 6:07 pm:
I’m not adopting any of them. I have enough problems with my own kids always demanding more money.
- Boone Logan Square - Tuesday, Sep 6, 11 @ 7:55 pm:
Seems a silly exercise to adopt wards of Mike Madigan.
- railrat - Tuesday, Sep 6, 11 @ 8:35 pm:
State Colleges , adopt a false applicant program.