The best things about Illinois are:
1. My family is from there and that is where I grew up. Best memories – ever.
2. The deep southern part of the state has beautiful terrain.
3. The City of Chicago is a world class city – and is stunning in so many ways.
4. The population is friendly and pretty well educated.
The worst things about Illinois are:
1. Political control by Speaker Madigan – too much power.
2. The length of time the media took explaining Blago’s largesse; he should have never been re-elected.
3. The cold winter.
4. No ocean.
The Worst: the Chicagoland/Illinois reputation for crime and corruption.
The Best: Its my home state, home town, my home environment. Its comfortable for me to work, live and raise the kids with a great deal of freedom and tolerance in how I want to do those things.
1. People are moving to Illinois in droves
2. Illinois is leading the nation in job growth, especially in manufacturing jobs
3. Excellent crop of home-grown politicians and political dynasties
4. One of the best places in the country to start a new business, or expand an existing one
5. One of the lowest taxed states in the nation
6. One of the lowest ratio of public employees to population
The Worst: Unfulfilled Potential. Wether its the politics, the corruption, or the “Peter to pay Paul” finances, Illinois is always just steps away from being all that much greater. There is always that caveat; it could be great, but only if “x” …” Illinois prevents itself from being all it can be too many ways.
Unfulfilled Potential.
The Best: Unlimited Potential. Illinois has a world class city, it has world class agri-business, is at the forefront of science, is a major economic worldwide hub, and arguably some of the finest universities in the world. There are very few ingredients needed for greatness in Illinois. How many states have the diversity AND the depth of the greatness in that diversity that Illinois has? Illinois’ potential makes it grow because others who come here see that potential too. Illinois is not at its best, its best is yet to be.
Madigan, corruption and lack of political will are the negatives.
I love the people of Illinois, the city of broad shoulders, the progressive nature of the state. I love the diversity of environment. I love the fact we don’t go slow. I love the work ethic, the blue collar nature of the state. I love the history of its great characters.
I don’t know what happened. Somewhere in the past 10 years we lost our way.
The Worst: Despite being a land of good and decent people, our reputation is sullied by a string of governors that did thier best to forget everything they ever learned about ethics. Also the obvious lack of cooperation in Springfield, and lack of leadership on the pressing issues that Illinois faces from the current governor.
The Best: Wrigley Field, Central Illinois Sunsets, the old capitol building in Vandalia, Mary Lous Cafe in Carbondale, the Shawnee National Forest, Capitol Fax, and that big mirror bean thing in Chicago
The worst is the state’s economic condition and precarious finances, which in some part, has been caused by the Governor and lawmakers acting like children in a sandbox.
The best is we have a dynamic state. From the coal mines to Chicago, the Mississippi River to the U of I, we are a microcosm of the US and world.
The worst thing would be our winters. You can pretty much write everything off from December through March.
The best thing is our people. Midwesterners are hearty and friendly folks that represent the best that America has to offer.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 9:36 am:
The Worst: Illinois suffers from a bad case of the Ism’s: Isolationism, Parochialism, Consumerism, Racism, Classism, Cynicism…its our default, especially in times of trouble.
The Best: Despite our Ism’s, we are united by a profound commitment to the Common Good. Whether its driven by an innate sense of moral responsibility, social responsibility, or plain old common sense, we come together, especially in times of crisis:
- During the Great Depression, those who had a dollar, a loaf of bread, a bowl of soup, or a roof to spare shared it with a neighbor or a stranger;
- During WWII, Illinoisans from every block, neighborhood, community and region made shared sacrifices…and its not overstating the case that America would not have prevailed without us;
- When floods devastated the Mississippi River Valley where I grew up, people from across this state gave their money, time and prayers;
- When snowstorms buried the Chicago region last year, you saw people in every community and every block lending a hand to complete strangers.
Worst - The combination of a Constitution and decades of laws and political practices that has turned IL government at every level into a feudal-system of patronage jobs and legalized/sanitized corruption.
Best - The few people who realize that the above is a 100% accurate description of the state’s political system, and are willing to at least try to do something about instead of moving.
- Small Town Liberal - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 9:50 am:
Best: The variety, world class city to scenic countryside.
Worst: The attitudes that divide the folks who live in those respective areas.
Worst: The failure of anybody in Springfield to act like an adult. We have real problems and nobody wants to face them.
Best: Other than the obvious “home/family” thing, we are geographically gifted. Chicago’s lake front is better than the lakefront (or ocean front) in any large city. Plus, given our location, getting to either the east or west coast is relatively easy. Du Sable was right. It is a great location for a city.
Best: the diversity of people, urban and rural areas, farmed and woodsy land and nice parks in which to hike.
Worst: impact of the recession/depression aside, the way our leaders have us living “paycheck to paycheck” as a state, rather than increasing revenue and/or decreasing expenses as needed, and budgeting ahead for rainy days, infrastructure, etc.
Best is our diversity..from Chicago to Carbondale we have a little of everything in between and it’s good to have.
- Chevy owner/Ford County - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 10:04 am:
The Best: Chicago. Best city in the country (for food, culture, medical facilities, quality of life–and that skyline….amazing)…bar none.
The Worst: The weather. We have four seasons (which is nice) and each of them will try to kill you in their own way (which is not so nice).
- Edge of the 14th Ward - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 10:12 am:
Best: The median sale price for a home in Chicago is $185,000.
Worst: The median sale price for a home in Chicago is $185,000.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 10:29 am:
A special shout-out to Consumerism:
Our default view of our government is through the Consumer lens. Too often, we talk about state or local government the same way you’d critique a restaurant that just served you cold soup or undercooked eggs.
Folks, WE are the cooks.
If you don’t believe me, stop trying to figure out who is to blame for Illinois’ current budget problems for an hour, and go read the last decade or two of polls from Northern Illinois University.
For as far back as you care to look, Illinoisans have demanded that we achieve shared goals like improving our schools, protecting people with disabilities, children and the elderly, promoting job creation, protecting our natural resources and parks — nearly every government function you can imagine — by increasing state spending.
At the same time we have demanded increased spending, we’ve opposed increasing revenue.
To their credit, Statesmen like Jim Edgar, Bill Black and Mike Madigan,tried to prevent our current problems 15 years ago, when they were much more manageable. A much smaller income tax increase then would have not only closed the budget deficit, but also fully funded public education and fixed our property tax system.
Worst: That corruption in government is so deeply ingrained that we have terms like “corruption tax”, “pay to play”, and “he knows somebody” used on a daily basis like it is no big deal.
The best - the weather. If you don’t like it, move to San Diego. I love winters. The snow, changing landscapes, snowball fights. And, no road repair during winter months. The spring with promise of a new beginning. Summer means B-B-Qs, sailing, warm nights on the porch, motorcycle rides on winding country roads. Fall with the beauty of color, the smell of burning leaves (a memory, not PC but love it anyway), crisp mornings with the hint of the snow to come. From Galena to Cairo, this is a beautiful state no matter the season!
The worst - I could blame the politicians for their perfidy but, in reality the blame lays with the voters. With all these folks who are supposedly well educated and knowledgeable, why do we keep re-electing the very folks who have brought us to the brink of disaster? I know many suggest that term limits would help. Elections can do that too. While many will say that the GA has a low approval rate, ask the voter about his/her representative. While the voter hates the “GA” it is likely the individual rep gets high marks. It is the other GA members who are corrupt, etc. Happens on a national scale as well. We get the government we deserve.
I just read your post YDD. I agree with much of it. It is we, the voters, who demand something for nothing. We demand the state provide for us all these services but don’t want to pay for them. We elect officials who then promise that something and they kick the financial can down the road to ensure re-election.
We citizens must accept that these programs cost money - money that only comes from the citizens. WE must decide what we want and WE must be willing to pay for it. Programs and services cost money. We must either accept that we can’t/won’t have all these programs or pony up - decisions must be made. I don’t necessarily believe that the gov’t can or should be doing all these things. That can and should be debated. Living in a perpetual fantasy has led to a disaster.
Like - I am with Dupage. Weather is great. I missed the snow and cold when I lived in warm states. It’s just part of the changing season. Just get the right clothes. Also agree on the Chicago to Carbondale terrain and culture. Just works for me. Also grow far better tomatoes in Illinois soil.
Worst - Politics is always an easy hit, but when a state as large and wealthy as Illinois is consistently rated as one of the worst financially you are purposefully just avoiding the issue. Services ain’t free no matter how bad you want them to be.
Best: The World Class City of Chicago. It has stellar musuems, the lake front, great restaurants, innovative theater, friendly people.
Worst: Murder. Not that long ago, murder of any kind made front page news. Now, multiple murders are buried on page 28 in a one-in column.
- Pot calling kettle - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 11:02 am:
Best: Diverse state with lots of opportunities (Shawnee Hills and SIUC (go Salukis!) to Chi-town with its museums and Universities). Also, a great hub from which to explore the rest of the U.S. And, great soil for gardening.
Worst: All the whiners complaining that someplace else is better and we should be more like them. (And, the overly smug U of I grads! LOL)
Best: the rich history, the literature, art, and architecture it has nurtured and produced–from Carl Sandburg, Frank Lloyd Wright, famous and obscure blues and other musicians, not to mention some the best culinary experiences available anywhere.
The worst: probably yet to come.
- Grandson of Man - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 11:17 am:
I agree with Knome Same, except I would like to add Democratic majority state goverment and Democratic governor as a tie for best thing about Illinois. As a unionized public worker, I am glad I have collective bargaining, and I’m glad I’m not in Wisconsin, waging a political war.
- 32nd Ward Roscoe Village - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 11:19 am:
Worst: The long winters; it is cold. Political corruption and the state of state’s finances.
Best: Because of the cold, we live way above the bug line: I like few bugs, change of seasons, great city and nice people.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 11:27 am:
@dupage dan -
Thanks.
I’ve argued that the real legacy of Ronald Reagan was convincing a broad swath of the American people that Abraham Lincoln was wrong when he claimed that government “of the people, by the people, and for the people shall not perish from this earth” and that those who gave the “last full measure of their existence” on the battlefield in Gettysburg — not too mention France or the Pacific Islands in WWII, or Iraq and Afghanistan today — died in vain.
That American Democracy was dead, replaced by Space Invaders or something, and “Our Government” had somehow been replaced by “The Government” which to be killed at all costs, even if it killed America in the process.
So step-by-step, we undid regulations that protected our economy, our natural resources, our public safety; we undid funding for programs that protected our most vulnerable citizens and our most sacred values…
But Reagan’s First Commandment was clear, and so long as there is a breath left in the body politic, there are people who will not be satisfied until all government functions cease to exist and the tax rate is zero.
Reagan was the most effective Anarchist in our nation’s history.
And the REAL irony is, when you set aside for a moment the question of what should be CUT from state government, and ask voters across Illinois what our Goals should be and what should be SAVED, there’s pretty broad agreement across regions, parties, classes, ages and races.
1. Illinois is now a laughingstock in the nation due to our finances and inability of our politics to respond.
2. Illinois is still big and important. We still matter in the big scheme of things, and overwhelm pipsqueak, “PTA-like” places like Wisconsin and Indiana.
Best Thing: The city of Chicago. I’m not sure how a city of nearly 3 million people manages to fly below the radar, but Chicago must be the nation’s best kept secret. I love when first timers come to visit. They are awed by the vastness and beauty, amazed by the small town congeniality, and exhausted by the endless ways to spend their time.
Worse Thing: The way schools are funded. The dependence of schools on local property taxes insures an inequitable distribution of education.
Worst
1.Inept politicans who could care less
2.January
3.The lack of trust between downstate and Chicago
The Best
1.The White Sox,Bears,Bulls,and even the Cubbies
2.The City of Chicago what a Great Place
3.Lake Michigan
4.Our hosipitals and universities
5.To be born and raised here.
What I have learned from this blog, is just how much you and my fellow bolggers really care about this State.Their knowledge is amazing.
The worst: Namby Pamby, spineless, special interest, controlled legislators.
The best: The people of Illinois, our industry and agriculture, our diverse cultures, excellent higher learning institutions, and our ability to recognize governors with the talent for making license plates, and helping them achieve that goal.
The worst. Our elected officials and the our corrupt ineffective political system.
The best - Our diversity in all areas. And for those who think you have to go south for beautiful terrain, take a trip though the Apple River area, the Illinois River/Fox River valley, and Starved Rock.
Worst: The politicians who get in our way to grab all the glory.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 1:01 pm:
@Wordslinger-
Clinton won re-election but on Reagan’s terms.
In 1992, he was stumping on health care reform. Gingrich and the Reaganites took over congress after Democrats prudently raised taxes.
But even in 1996, when Clinton declared the death of “big government”, he still laid out a broad vision for the Common Good that we as a nation could achieve, He simply declared the obvious point that we couldnt achieve those goals through the federal government alone.
That said, until 2008 Democrats seemed largely unwilling to refute Reagan’s First Commandment. I thought that moment came in the debate between Obama and McCain when Obama said affordable access to quality health care was a “fundamental right” while McCain said it was an “individual problem.”
Worst–all the hand wringing and gnashing of teeth about state and local government and politics…there may be some states that are marginally better, but most are proportionally the same–Calif, Ohio, Wisc, Az, TX, FL, etc. We like to beat up on ourselves and let others do it too.
Best (excepting personal things)–Illinois history. If you ever get past Lincoln, there is a more fascinating history/stories/people/events that populate Illinois w/ diversity, humor, heartbreak, adventure that one could ignore the rest of the world and be fully satisfied. What’s more, it keeps happening w/ compelling regularity!
Worst: The poor solid waste/recycling/composting systems. Chicago is particularly bad, but far from alone on this point.
Best: One of the world’s greatest cities (with people, food, architecture, music, and scenery to celebrate) is right here. Chicago ain’t perfect, but it is magnificent.
Unfortunately, this article reinforces what I was saying in my post at 10:59 this morning…..we are now making news because there were NO murders in Chicago in a 24 hour period. Sad commentary of our times, for sure.
Best:
Lake Shore Drive on a clear summer night.
The Great River Road on a clear fall day.
Worst:
Our inability to attract any true leaders or statesmen into the political process. I seem to always be voting for the better of 2 evils.
Having huge metro area couple with a huge rural area gives Illinois a great balance. Neither area can dominate completely while both contribute to the overall benefits for the citizen. That is the good. I don’t think our state government is entirely dysfunctional, but I agree with Yellow Dog Democrat that we have tried to have our cake and eat it, too. That has caught up with us. I also wonder about political corruption. I think most cities the size of Chicago have major corruption. Is that inevitable?
Worst: In IL if you are a have-not, you really have not much. In a state of such abundance of (jobs, opportunity, connections, diversity, wealth, etc) it is a shame to see.
Best: communities do care about helping each other. Might be through the park district, might be through the place of worship of their choice, might be through some other agency. But people here do help each other.
Best: Chicago! I love this city. good public transportation, despite at times poor mgmt, nice clean shoreline. A Chicago River that is slowly being cleaned up to be the jewel it could be.
Worst: flat tax. It seems offensive that someone scraping by on 14K should have to pay state taxes.
Best -
The people. From railroads supplanting river craft to John Deere to Hog Butcher of the World to Western Electric’s Hawthorne Plant to the Chicago Board of Trade … well, I could go on, but you get the point.
The Autumns.
The Worst -
The other 3 seasons.
Portions of the people’s personality. Downstate doesn’t trust Chicago who doesn’t trust Collar Counties who don’t trust rural areas who don’t trust urban areas … . The reluctance to let go of patronage. The viewing of government as a way to get rich rather than a means of providing services.
The Mainstream Media in Illinois (this forum excluded) - they see everything in black and white, and seemingly can’t find corruption anywhere but Chicago / Cook County.
I actually thought about this question all day long.
Coming up with the worst is easy: our political process. The House and Senate are always trying to outsmart each other, and the General Assembly and the Governor are always battling over who has more influence/power/importance. In the end, little good can be accomplished because everyone is fighting.
The thing I do like though is the “can-do” attitude of our State. ie: Wanna’ change the course of a river? Fine…Wanna’ build the world’s first skyscraper? Fine…Wanna’ host the Olympics? Fine…Wanna’ shut down the busiest roadway in the midwest and organize choreography for 10,000 strangers (Oprah)? Fine.
I wish our politicians had the same “Let’s figure out a way to do and just do it” attitude as our citizens.
Worst….the voters in this State who have become conditioned to bad, ineffective, corrupt, career politicians. It doesn’t have to be that way people! You can have people as responsible and clean as you are! Stop accepting garbage. Insist on clean government, and for God’s sake, look for some new leaders.
Best….Chicago. It’s everything Sandburg said it was, but what a great city. After New York, we’re it. And we’re smaller and easier to deal with.
Worst Thing: The Taxes
Best Thing: The People, The Beautiful Western and Southern Illinois Sunsets, The Can-do attitude, A Big Financial Hub, and the best sports city in the world.
I know this is a day late, but Kass’ column Friday about soon-to-be Judge Degnan shows the worst thing about Illinois — absolutely nothing is honest in the state, including the criminal justice system.
- bored now - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 7:15 am:
worst: the cold. brrrrrrrrrrrr
best: my wife…
- Wensicia - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 7:38 am:
Worst: Single party control of the state and its largest city.
Best: Our major league sports teams.
- South of I-80 - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 7:41 am:
The Worst; the lack of leadership and cooperation in resolving the State’s budget problems.
The Best; the diversity in the state’s regions, The Mag Mile to the Garden of the Gods & Nauvoo to Danville.
- In absentia - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 7:46 am:
The best things about Illinois are:
1. My family is from there and that is where I grew up. Best memories – ever.
2. The deep southern part of the state has beautiful terrain.
3. The City of Chicago is a world class city – and is stunning in so many ways.
4. The population is friendly and pretty well educated.
The worst things about Illinois are:
1. Political control by Speaker Madigan – too much power.
2. The length of time the media took explaining Blago’s largesse; he should have never been re-elected.
3. The cold winter.
4. No ocean.
- MrJM - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 7:46 am:
The Worst: The Party is Over
The Best: It was Fun While It Lasted
– MrJM
- Y2D - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 7:53 am:
The Worst: the Chicagoland/Illinois reputation for crime and corruption.
The Best: Its my home state, home town, my home environment. Its comfortable for me to work, live and raise the kids with a great deal of freedom and tolerance in how I want to do those things.
- Plutocrat03 - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 7:55 am:
the bad: The extents of the political corruption on both sides of the aisle
the good: the great citizens who not only take care of themselves, but take care of others as well.
- Mary - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 8:00 am:
Worst: citizens who vote in a corrupt politicians, time and again, or who don’t vote at all.
Best: reality, which is quickly catching up with citizens’ foolishness. And the lovely, rich farm fields, natch.
- Leroy - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 8:10 am:
The good:
1. People are moving to Illinois in droves
2. Illinois is leading the nation in job growth, especially in manufacturing jobs
3. Excellent crop of home-grown politicians and political dynasties
4. One of the best places in the country to start a new business, or expand an existing one
5. One of the lowest taxed states in the nation
6. One of the lowest ratio of public employees to population
The bad: The weather
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 8:11 am:
The Worst: Unfulfilled Potential. Wether its the politics, the corruption, or the “Peter to pay Paul” finances, Illinois is always just steps away from being all that much greater. There is always that caveat; it could be great, but only if “x” …” Illinois prevents itself from being all it can be too many ways.
Unfulfilled Potential.
The Best: Unlimited Potential. Illinois has a world class city, it has world class agri-business, is at the forefront of science, is a major economic worldwide hub, and arguably some of the finest universities in the world. There are very few ingredients needed for greatness in Illinois. How many states have the diversity AND the depth of the greatness in that diversity that Illinois has? Illinois’ potential makes it grow because others who come here see that potential too. Illinois is not at its best, its best is yet to be.
Unlimited Potential.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 8:14 am:
Madigan, corruption and lack of political will are the negatives.
I love the people of Illinois, the city of broad shoulders, the progressive nature of the state. I love the diversity of environment. I love the fact we don’t go slow. I love the work ethic, the blue collar nature of the state. I love the history of its great characters.
I don’t know what happened. Somewhere in the past 10 years we lost our way.
- Dirt Digger - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 8:19 am:
The Worst: The seemingly unkillable nativism- “machine” residents in Chicago, downstaters with chips on their shoulders, etc.
The Best- The impressive spread of top universities in Chicago.
- doug dobmeyer - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 8:23 am:
Worst the corruption and the failure to do anything because we are complacent.
Best my family.
- Ravenswood Right Winger - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 8:24 am:
worst: the corruption.
best: microbreweries
- John A Logan - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 8:34 am:
The Worst: Despite being a land of good and decent people, our reputation is sullied by a string of governors that did thier best to forget everything they ever learned about ethics. Also the obvious lack of cooperation in Springfield, and lack of leadership on the pressing issues that Illinois faces from the current governor.
The Best: Wrigley Field, Central Illinois Sunsets, the old capitol building in Vandalia, Mary Lous Cafe in Carbondale, the Shawnee National Forest, Capitol Fax, and that big mirror bean thing in Chicago
- SouthernIL - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 8:42 am:
Worst ~ We are sitting on top of an earthquake vault
Best ~ the beauty of Southern IL - along and below I70! “)
- 1776 - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 8:48 am:
The worst is the state’s economic condition and precarious finances, which in some part, has been caused by the Governor and lawmakers acting like children in a sandbox.
The best is we have a dynamic state. From the coal mines to Chicago, the Mississippi River to the U of I, we are a microcosm of the US and world.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 8:59 am:
The best is the diversity of people and places.
The worst is the trafficking by some in stereotypes: Chicago gangsters and welfare queens, Downstate hicks, etc.
- Lakeview - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 9:22 am:
Worst: a tie between the weather and the dysfunctional state government.
Best: Chicago in the summer
- DJ - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 9:28 am:
Best: Rich Miller, without this site i wouldn’t know what the hell is going on.
Worst: The people that complain but don’t do anything to fix it
- MeAgain - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 9:33 am:
Worst - Chicago
Best - Chicago
P.S. Someone put something in Leroy’s Koolaid!
- overcooked - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 9:34 am:
Best: White Sox
Worst: Cubs
- Stones - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 9:36 am:
The worst thing would be our winters. You can pretty much write everything off from December through March.
The best thing is our people. Midwesterners are hearty and friendly folks that represent the best that America has to offer.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 9:36 am:
The Worst: Illinois suffers from a bad case of the Ism’s: Isolationism, Parochialism, Consumerism, Racism, Classism, Cynicism…its our default, especially in times of trouble.
The Best: Despite our Ism’s, we are united by a profound commitment to the Common Good. Whether its driven by an innate sense of moral responsibility, social responsibility, or plain old common sense, we come together, especially in times of crisis:
- During the Great Depression, those who had a dollar, a loaf of bread, a bowl of soup, or a roof to spare shared it with a neighbor or a stranger;
- During WWII, Illinoisans from every block, neighborhood, community and region made shared sacrifices…and its not overstating the case that America would not have prevailed without us;
- When floods devastated the Mississippi River Valley where I grew up, people from across this state gave their money, time and prayers;
- When snowstorms buried the Chicago region last year, you saw people in every community and every block lending a hand to complete strangers.
- Secret Square - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 9:40 am:
Worst: corruption, dysfunctional government that leans a bit too far left for my taste
Best: friendly people, interesting history, and beautiful prairie sunsets
- Bruno Behrend - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 9:50 am:
Worst - The combination of a Constitution and decades of laws and political practices that has turned IL government at every level into a feudal-system of patronage jobs and legalized/sanitized corruption.
Best - The few people who realize that the above is a 100% accurate description of the state’s political system, and are willing to at least try to do something about instead of moving.
- Small Town Liberal - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 9:50 am:
Best: The variety, world class city to scenic countryside.
Worst: The attitudes that divide the folks who live in those respective areas.
- Skeeter - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 9:52 am:
Worst: The failure of anybody in Springfield to act like an adult. We have real problems and nobody wants to face them.
Best: Other than the obvious “home/family” thing, we are geographically gifted. Chicago’s lake front is better than the lakefront (or ocean front) in any large city. Plus, given our location, getting to either the east or west coast is relatively easy. Du Sable was right. It is a great location for a city.
- Earnest - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 9:56 am:
Best: the diversity of people, urban and rural areas, farmed and woodsy land and nice parks in which to hike.
Worst: impact of the recession/depression aside, the way our leaders have us living “paycheck to paycheck” as a state, rather than increasing revenue and/or decreasing expenses as needed, and budgeting ahead for rainy days, infrastructure, etc.
- Scoot - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 10:01 am:
Worst is our politics.
Best is our diversity..from Chicago to Carbondale we have a little of everything in between and it’s good to have.
- Chevy owner/Ford County - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 10:04 am:
The Best: Chicago. Best city in the country (for food, culture, medical facilities, quality of life–and that skyline….amazing)…bar none.
The Worst: The weather. We have four seasons (which is nice) and each of them will try to kill you in their own way (which is not so nice).
- Edge of the 14th Ward - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 10:12 am:
Best: The median sale price for a home in Chicago is $185,000.
Worst: The median sale price for a home in Chicago is $185,000.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 10:29 am:
A special shout-out to Consumerism:
Our default view of our government is through the Consumer lens. Too often, we talk about state or local government the same way you’d critique a restaurant that just served you cold soup or undercooked eggs.
Folks, WE are the cooks.
If you don’t believe me, stop trying to figure out who is to blame for Illinois’ current budget problems for an hour, and go read the last decade or two of polls from Northern Illinois University.
For as far back as you care to look, Illinoisans have demanded that we achieve shared goals like improving our schools, protecting people with disabilities, children and the elderly, promoting job creation, protecting our natural resources and parks — nearly every government function you can imagine — by increasing state spending.
At the same time we have demanded increased spending, we’ve opposed increasing revenue.
To their credit, Statesmen like Jim Edgar, Bill Black and Mike Madigan,tried to prevent our current problems 15 years ago, when they were much more manageable. A much smaller income tax increase then would have not only closed the budget deficit, but also fully funded public education and fixed our property tax system.
But WE didn’t listen.
- Aldyth - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 10:30 am:
Best: Home, sweet home.
Worst: That corruption in government is so deeply ingrained that we have terms like “corruption tax”, “pay to play”, and “he knows somebody” used on a daily basis like it is no big deal.
- dupage dan - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 10:31 am:
The best - the weather. If you don’t like it, move to San Diego. I love winters. The snow, changing landscapes, snowball fights. And, no road repair during winter months. The spring with promise of a new beginning. Summer means B-B-Qs, sailing, warm nights on the porch, motorcycle rides on winding country roads. Fall with the beauty of color, the smell of burning leaves (a memory, not PC but love it anyway), crisp mornings with the hint of the snow to come. From Galena to Cairo, this is a beautiful state no matter the season!
The worst - I could blame the politicians for their perfidy but, in reality the blame lays with the voters. With all these folks who are supposedly well educated and knowledgeable, why do we keep re-electing the very folks who have brought us to the brink of disaster? I know many suggest that term limits would help. Elections can do that too. While many will say that the GA has a low approval rate, ask the voter about his/her representative. While the voter hates the “GA” it is likely the individual rep gets high marks. It is the other GA members who are corrupt, etc. Happens on a national scale as well. We get the government we deserve.
- dupage dan - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 10:39 am:
I just read your post YDD. I agree with much of it. It is we, the voters, who demand something for nothing. We demand the state provide for us all these services but don’t want to pay for them. We elect officials who then promise that something and they kick the financial can down the road to ensure re-election.
We citizens must accept that these programs cost money - money that only comes from the citizens. WE must decide what we want and WE must be willing to pay for it. Programs and services cost money. We must either accept that we can’t/won’t have all these programs or pony up - decisions must be made. I don’t necessarily believe that the gov’t can or should be doing all these things. That can and should be debated. Living in a perpetual fantasy has led to a disaster.
- PES123 - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 10:44 am:
Well said dupage dan!
- Soccertease - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 10:46 am:
The worst: our politics and thus our pathetic political reputation
The best: Our diversity including climate, people, jobs, urban/rural environments, and politics (which leads us back to ‘the worst’)
- Soccertease - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 10:46 am:
The worst: our politics and thus our pathetic political reputation
The best: Our diversity including climate, people, jobs, urban/rural environments, and politics (which leads us back to ‘the worst’)
- zatoichi - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 10:51 am:
Like - I am with Dupage. Weather is great. I missed the snow and cold when I lived in warm states. It’s just part of the changing season. Just get the right clothes. Also agree on the Chicago to Carbondale terrain and culture. Just works for me. Also grow far better tomatoes in Illinois soil.
Worst - Politics is always an easy hit, but when a state as large and wealthy as Illinois is consistently rated as one of the worst financially you are purposefully just avoiding the issue. Services ain’t free no matter how bad you want them to be.
- GMatts - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 10:54 am:
Worst: whiners about the weather
Best: the weather. 4 seasons; crappy winter
increases appreciation of Spring.
- Steve Bartin - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 10:57 am:
Best thing: food
Worst thing: unreformable political system
- Knome Sane - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 10:59 am:
Best: The World Class City of Chicago. It has stellar musuems, the lake front, great restaurants, innovative theater, friendly people.
Worst: Murder. Not that long ago, murder of any kind made front page news. Now, multiple murders are buried on page 28 in a one-in column.
- Pot calling kettle - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 11:02 am:
Best: Diverse state with lots of opportunities (Shawnee Hills and SIUC (go Salukis!) to Chi-town with its museums and Universities). Also, a great hub from which to explore the rest of the U.S. And, great soil for gardening.
Worst: All the whiners complaining that someplace else is better and we should be more like them. (And, the overly smug U of I grads! LOL)
- Stateline - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 11:10 am:
The Best- Chicago, Little Egypt, Lake Michigan, Mississippi River, Illini, Bears, Cubs, the best crop growing soils on Earth.
The worst- The nonsense regarding Chicago Metro vs. Downstate.
- Geneseo Gent - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 11:12 am:
Best is the woman I share life with.
Worst is the lazy voters.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 11:15 am:
Best: the rich history, the literature, art, and architecture it has nurtured and produced–from Carl Sandburg, Frank Lloyd Wright, famous and obscure blues and other musicians, not to mention some the best culinary experiences available anywhere.
The worst: probably yet to come.
- Grandson of Man - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 11:17 am:
I agree with Knome Same, except I would like to add Democratic majority state goverment and Democratic governor as a tie for best thing about Illinois. As a unionized public worker, I am glad I have collective bargaining, and I’m glad I’m not in Wisconsin, waging a political war.
- 32nd Ward Roscoe Village - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 11:19 am:
Worst: The long winters; it is cold. Political corruption and the state of state’s finances.
Best: Because of the cold, we live way above the bug line: I like few bugs, change of seasons, great city and nice people.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 11:27 am:
@dupage dan -
Thanks.
I’ve argued that the real legacy of Ronald Reagan was convincing a broad swath of the American people that Abraham Lincoln was wrong when he claimed that government “of the people, by the people, and for the people shall not perish from this earth” and that those who gave the “last full measure of their existence” on the battlefield in Gettysburg — not too mention France or the Pacific Islands in WWII, or Iraq and Afghanistan today — died in vain.
That American Democracy was dead, replaced by Space Invaders or something, and “Our Government” had somehow been replaced by “The Government” which to be killed at all costs, even if it killed America in the process.
So step-by-step, we undid regulations that protected our economy, our natural resources, our public safety; we undid funding for programs that protected our most vulnerable citizens and our most sacred values…
But Reagan’s First Commandment was clear, and so long as there is a breath left in the body politic, there are people who will not be satisfied until all government functions cease to exist and the tax rate is zero.
Reagan was the most effective Anarchist in our nation’s history.
And the REAL irony is, when you set aside for a moment the question of what should be CUT from state government, and ask voters across Illinois what our Goals should be and what should be SAVED, there’s pretty broad agreement across regions, parties, classes, ages and races.
- chad - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 11:28 am:
1. Illinois is now a laughingstock in the nation due to our finances and inability of our politics to respond.
2. Illinois is still big and important. We still matter in the big scheme of things, and overwhelm pipsqueak, “PTA-like” places like Wisconsin and Indiana.
- Mom - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 11:32 am:
Best Thing: The city of Chicago. I’m not sure how a city of nearly 3 million people manages to fly below the radar, but Chicago must be the nation’s best kept secret. I love when first timers come to visit. They are awed by the vastness and beauty, amazed by the small town congeniality, and exhausted by the endless ways to spend their time.
Worse Thing: The way schools are funded. The dependence of schools on local property taxes insures an inequitable distribution of education.
- mokenavince - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 11:48 am:
Worst
1.Inept politicans who could care less
2.January
3.The lack of trust between downstate and Chicago
The Best
1.The White Sox,Bears,Bulls,and even the Cubbies
2.The City of Chicago what a Great Place
3.Lake Michigan
4.Our hosipitals and universities
5.To be born and raised here.
What I have learned from this blog, is just how much you and my fellow bolggers really care about this State.Their knowledge is amazing.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 12:07 pm:
YDD, I don’t see that Reagan cut too much government, or even tried for that matter.
Bill Clinton said the era of big government is over.
Watch what they do, not what they say.
- Sunshine - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 12:23 pm:
The worst: Namby Pamby, spineless, special interest, controlled legislators.
The best: The people of Illinois, our industry and agriculture, our diverse cultures, excellent higher learning institutions, and our ability to recognize governors with the talent for making license plates, and helping them achieve that goal.
- Irish - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 12:24 pm:
The worst. Our elected officials and the our corrupt ineffective political system.
The best - Our diversity in all areas. And for those who think you have to go south for beautiful terrain, take a trip though the Apple River area, the Illinois River/Fox River valley, and Starved Rock.
- Makandadawg - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 12:45 pm:
Best: The hard working people of Illinois.
Worst: The politicians who get in our way to grab all the glory.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 1:01 pm:
@Wordslinger-
Clinton won re-election but on Reagan’s terms.
In 1992, he was stumping on health care reform. Gingrich and the Reaganites took over congress after Democrats prudently raised taxes.
But even in 1996, when Clinton declared the death of “big government”, he still laid out a broad vision for the Common Good that we as a nation could achieve, He simply declared the obvious point that we couldnt achieve those goals through the federal government alone.
That said, until 2008 Democrats seemed largely unwilling to refute Reagan’s First Commandment. I thought that moment came in the debate between Obama and McCain when Obama said affordable access to quality health care was a “fundamental right” while McCain said it was an “individual problem.”
- D.P. Gumby - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 1:28 pm:
Worst–all the hand wringing and gnashing of teeth about state and local government and politics…there may be some states that are marginally better, but most are proportionally the same–Calif, Ohio, Wisc, Az, TX, FL, etc. We like to beat up on ourselves and let others do it too.
Best (excepting personal things)–Illinois history. If you ever get past Lincoln, there is a more fascinating history/stories/people/events that populate Illinois w/ diversity, humor, heartbreak, adventure that one could ignore the rest of the world and be fully satisfied. What’s more, it keeps happening w/ compelling regularity!
- Boone Logan Square - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 1:29 pm:
Worst: The poor solid waste/recycling/composting systems. Chicago is particularly bad, but far from alone on this point.
Best: One of the world’s greatest cities (with people, food, architecture, music, and scenery to celebrate) is right here. Chicago ain’t perfect, but it is magnificent.
- shore - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 1:42 pm:
Best-we haven’t botched a primary/caucus as badly as the Iowa GOP did earlier this year. What a joke
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/01/19/breaking-romney-calls-santorum-concedes-iowa/
- Knome Sane - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 1:49 pm:
Unfortunately, this article reinforces what I was saying in my post at 10:59 this morning…..we are now making news because there were NO murders in Chicago in a 24 hour period. Sad commentary of our times, for sure.
http://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward-room/Chicago-Murder-Free-24-Hours-137672038.html?dr
- Anon - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 2:18 pm:
Best: Chicago and all it has to offer as one of the largest cities in the country.
Worst: Our national reputation of corruption and bad finances.
- Casual observer - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 2:32 pm:
Best:
Lake Shore Drive on a clear summer night.
The Great River Road on a clear fall day.
Worst:
Our inability to attract any true leaders or statesmen into the political process. I seem to always be voting for the better of 2 evils.
- shore - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 2:44 pm:
casual-scott lee cohen wasn’t a statesman?
- PPHS - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 2:48 pm:
the best - the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum
the worst - the absolutely flat landscape, south of I80.
- A.B. - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 2:58 pm:
Worst - total tax outlay
Best - education opportunity for kids and Chicago sports, minus the Cubs.
- Casual observer - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 3:23 pm:
Shore: My point exactly. And don’t forget the choice between Judy Barr or Rod, Brady or Quinn…
- glaber - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 3:28 pm:
Having huge metro area couple with a huge rural area gives Illinois a great balance. Neither area can dominate completely while both contribute to the overall benefits for the citizen. That is the good. I don’t think our state government is entirely dysfunctional, but I agree with Yellow Dog Democrat that we have tried to have our cake and eat it, too. That has caught up with us. I also wonder about political corruption. I think most cities the size of Chicago have major corruption. Is that inevitable?
- Mongo - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 3:35 pm:
Worst: In IL if you are a have-not, you really have not much. In a state of such abundance of (jobs, opportunity, connections, diversity, wealth, etc) it is a shame to see.
Best: communities do care about helping each other. Might be through the park district, might be through the place of worship of their choice, might be through some other agency. But people here do help each other.
- L.S. - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 3:53 pm:
Worst - Next to Indiana
Best - It’s not Indiana
- cermak_rd - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 3:56 pm:
Best: Chicago! I love this city. good public transportation, despite at times poor mgmt, nice clean shoreline. A Chicago River that is slowly being cleaned up to be the jewel it could be.
Worst: flat tax. It seems offensive that someone scraping by on 14K should have to pay state taxes.
- Brian - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 4:00 pm:
The Worst: Political dysfunction and perpetual shortsightedness.
The Best: The Bulls have the best record in the League.
- Anyone Remember? - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 4:42 pm:
Best -
The people. From railroads supplanting river craft to John Deere to Hog Butcher of the World to Western Electric’s Hawthorne Plant to the Chicago Board of Trade … well, I could go on, but you get the point.
The Autumns.
The Worst -
The other 3 seasons.
Portions of the people’s personality. Downstate doesn’t trust Chicago who doesn’t trust Collar Counties who don’t trust rural areas who don’t trust urban areas … . The reluctance to let go of patronage. The viewing of government as a way to get rich rather than a means of providing services.
The Mainstream Media in Illinois (this forum excluded) - they see everything in black and white, and seemingly can’t find corruption anywhere but Chicago / Cook County.
- Esquire - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 5:11 pm:
Taxes are the worst
Golf course options are the best
- Anon - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 5:43 pm:
Best: the politics in our state are never boring
Worst: the reasons why the politics in our state are never boring
- Six Degrees of Separation - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 6:50 pm:
Best: Chicago lakefront, Jo Daviess County, Shawnee National Forest and Starved Rock State Park.
Worst: The pension mess, the politics, and a morning drive on the Ike or the Stevenson.
- pyrman - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 7:39 pm:
the best–the tenacity of both political parties to hang onto the “old school” method of politics in the face of all the whining reformers.
the worst–the division between Chicago and the rest of the state. we both need each other.
- Just Me - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 7:50 pm:
I actually thought about this question all day long.
Coming up with the worst is easy: our political process. The House and Senate are always trying to outsmart each other, and the General Assembly and the Governor are always battling over who has more influence/power/importance. In the end, little good can be accomplished because everyone is fighting.
The thing I do like though is the “can-do” attitude of our State. ie: Wanna’ change the course of a river? Fine…Wanna’ build the world’s first skyscraper? Fine…Wanna’ host the Olympics? Fine…Wanna’ shut down the busiest roadway in the midwest and organize choreography for 10,000 strangers (Oprah)? Fine.
I wish our politicians had the same “Let’s figure out a way to do and just do it” attitude as our citizens.
- park - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 8:36 pm:
Worst….the voters in this State who have become conditioned to bad, ineffective, corrupt, career politicians. It doesn’t have to be that way people! You can have people as responsible and clean as you are! Stop accepting garbage. Insist on clean government, and for God’s sake, look for some new leaders.
Best….Chicago. It’s everything Sandburg said it was, but what a great city. After New York, we’re it. And we’re smaller and easier to deal with.
- wishbone - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 10:13 pm:
Best: Chicago’s architecture.
Worse: The religious fruitcakes who want to run everyone’s lives.
- bullet53 - Thursday, Jan 19, 12 @ 10:20 pm:
best close to WISCONSIN
worst greedy elected officals
- John Poshepny - Friday, Jan 20, 12 @ 12:07 am:
Worst Thing: The Taxes
Best Thing: The People, The Beautiful Western and Southern Illinois Sunsets, The Can-do attitude, A Big Financial Hub, and the best sports city in the world.
- Anonymous - Friday, Jan 20, 12 @ 9:34 am:
Rich,
I know this is a day late, but Kass’ column Friday about soon-to-be Judge Degnan shows the worst thing about Illinois — absolutely nothing is honest in the state, including the criminal justice system.