Question of the day
Thursday, Feb 16, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The underlying data used in this study was never released, so we have to take their word for it that all the numbers are accurate and complete…
A new study lists Illinois as the third most corrupt area in the nation, and Chicago as the most corrupt city, and experts in the state say Illinois has earned those titles.
The report, released at a Wednesday statehouse news conference, details a study from the University of Illinois in Chicago, or UIC, and University of Illinois’ Institute of Government and Public Affairs in Champaign.
Only Louisiana and the District of Columbia have more corruption convictions per capita than Illinois. Chicago leads all cities in the United States in corruption convictions, where defendants are either elected officials or public money is involved, according to the report. […]
Only two other states have seen more of these convictions than Illinois in the past 36 years. California reported 2,345 convictions and New York had 2,522. Because the study makes the comparisons on a per-person basis and these two states have larger populations than Illinois, California and New York received lower rankings.
Illinois has around 12.8 million residents and averages 1.42 convictions per 10,000 residents.
* The Question: Our new state slogan?
- Pot calling kettle - Thursday, Feb 16, 12 @ 11:34 am:
Illinois, our cops catch the crooked politicians…do yours?
- Northsider - Thursday, Feb 16, 12 @ 11:35 am:
We couldn’t go wrong with Mike Royko’s suggestion for changing Chicago’s motto from “Urbs in horto” to “Ubi est mea?”
- bored now - Thursday, Feb 16, 12 @ 11:36 am:
shhhh. my office may be bugged…
- Judgment Day - Thursday, Feb 16, 12 @ 11:39 am:
A play on “We don’t want nobody nobody sent”
to be….
“We don’t do business with nobody nobody sent”
- cermak_rd - Thursday, Feb 16, 12 @ 11:40 am:
Corruption…we’re bad at it.
well, the report did mention convictions, that implies clumsy crooks.
- one of the 35 - Thursday, Feb 16, 12 @ 11:44 am:
We’re the corruptist state in the union!
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Feb 16, 12 @ 11:50 am:
“Illinois - How much is it worth to ya?”
“Illinois - Everything has a price.”
“Illinois - Quaility Corruption Since 1818.”
“Illinois - The Un-Sunshine State.”
“Illinois - Where Prisions Hold Caucuses.”
“Illinois - Have a government job? You’re family.”
“Illinois - Your Word is Your Bond, Unless the Judge Wants More …”
“Illinois - You Can’t Spell ‘Reform’ Out of Illinois”
“Illinois - What’s It to You, Anyway?”
“Illinois - I know a ‘Guy’ …”
“Illinois - Don’t Use the Phones, Let’s Meet.”
“Illinois - Credentials Schmentials, It’s your Job if Ya Want It.”
“Illinois - We Don’t Raise the Dead, We Just Vote ‘Em.”
- Cook County Commoner - Thursday, Feb 16, 12 @ 11:52 am:
The Land of Licoln Weeping
- Judgment Day - Thursday, Feb 16, 12 @ 11:56 am:
“We’re Number 1!”
- Anonymous - Thursday, Feb 16, 12 @ 11:57 am:
“Just retain my firm for tax appeals.”
- Shock & Awww(e) - Thursday, Feb 16, 12 @ 12:01 pm:
The Land of Inkin’ (free prison tats for all)
- Jake From Elwood - Thursday, Feb 16, 12 @ 12:03 pm:
“State Fraudulency, National Disunion”
- Lefty Lefty - Thursday, Feb 16, 12 @ 12:03 pm:
The Land of Clinkin’ Jail Doors
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Feb 16, 12 @ 12:05 pm:
“Illinois - Whatcha Gonna Do?”
“Illinois - Have You Seen the Price List?”
“Illinois - Home of the Lipstick on a Pig”
“Illinois - Don’t Tempt Us.”
“Illinois - Doing it Wrong, the Right Way.”
“Illinois - Our Term Limits Begin With Jail Sentences.”
“Illinois - Things Get Done Quicker Our Way.”
“Illinois - We’re Not Fooling Anyone.”
“Illinois - The Way It’s Always Been Done.”
“Illinois - Reform for the Sake of the Feds.”
- Lefty Lefty - Thursday, Feb 16, 12 @ 12:06 pm:
The Land of Winkin’
- Cincinnatus - Thursday, Feb 16, 12 @ 12:15 pm:
Illinois - We’ve upped our morale level, now up yours.
- Louis G. Atsaves - Thursday, Feb 16, 12 @ 12:16 pm:
Oh come on you folks who always bash Illinois and try to tear this state down! Where is your sense of civic pride? We were only ranked #3, not #1!
- Louis G. Atsaves - Thursday, Feb 16, 12 @ 12:17 pm:
Slogan? We’re #3!
- Holdingontomywallet - Thursday, Feb 16, 12 @ 12:17 pm:
Illinois “want to get away?”
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Feb 16, 12 @ 12:19 pm:
“Illinois - Where are Deals are Called Sweetheart.”
“Illinois - Ice Cream is Not the Only Double Dip.”
“Illinois - Keeping the FBI Fully Staffed.”
“Illinois - Banana Republics Love Us.”
“Illinois - New Jersy’s Punchline.”
“Illinois - A Model for Any Cartel.”
“Illinois - Louisiana…Without Marti Gras.”
- frustrated GOP - Thursday, Feb 16, 12 @ 12:20 pm:
Wait, should the States with the lowest conviction rate be looked at closely? I mean, if you are throwing people in jail that means you are policing the problem. If you aren’t that tells me “the fix is in.”
- vole - Thursday, Feb 16, 12 @ 12:20 pm:
From East St. Louis to CheeeKAWgo, going 110 mph to the big house!!!
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Feb 16, 12 @ 12:20 pm:
Here ya go …
“Illinois - #3, But Still Tryin’…”
- Anonymous - Thursday, Feb 16, 12 @ 12:21 pm:
Illinois- Where Governors Go to Jail
- Wensicia - Thursday, Feb 16, 12 @ 12:22 pm:
Illinois -
Proud to be at the top of the “Ten Most Corrupt States” list put out by the FBI!
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Feb 16, 12 @ 12:23 pm:
“Illinois - Our Governors Get Federal Pensions.”
- Nuance - Thursday, Feb 16, 12 @ 12:28 pm:
Illinois - Where Crime Does Pay
- Boone Logan Square - Thursday, Feb 16, 12 @ 12:30 pm:
“Don’t Send Nobody Nobody Sent to the Land of Lincoln.”
- vole - Thursday, Feb 16, 12 @ 12:33 pm:
Illinois, state of play, state to pay.
- Irish1 - Thursday, Feb 16, 12 @ 12:35 pm:
the Land of Larceny
- Shock & Awww(e) - Thursday, Feb 16, 12 @ 12:51 pm:
Pay to play? Enjoy the stay.
- Objective Dem - Thursday, Feb 16, 12 @ 12:57 pm:
Granted we have some deep corruption especially with regards to Governors, but I would be suspect of any statistics Dick Simpson digs up. He has been on a mission against the Reg Dems since the reign of Richard I.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Feb 16, 12 @ 12:58 pm:
“Illinois - Cash Only, Please”
“Illinois - Talk Into the Lapel.”
“Illinois - Fat Envelopes are Better.”
“Illinois - Home of the Buffers.”
“Illinois - Let’s Make a Deal.”
- Stooges - Thursday, Feb 16, 12 @ 1:08 pm:
Illinois - the best government money can buy!
- dupage dan - Thursday, Feb 16, 12 @ 1:16 pm:
Illinois - youse gots a problem wid dat?
- Don't Worry About the Government - Thursday, Feb 16, 12 @ 1:36 pm:
“Come do business in Illinois, where only .0142% of the population is corrupt!”
- Former Titan - Thursday, Feb 16, 12 @ 1:49 pm:
Land of Lassitude
- titan - Thursday, Feb 16, 12 @ 2:37 pm:
The Ubi Est Mea State is solid.
Perhaps “Illinois - Let’s Make A Deal”?
- Its Just Me - Thursday, Feb 16, 12 @ 2:42 pm:
The land of linkin’.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Feb 16, 12 @ 2:51 pm:
Thanks titan.
“Illinois - Land of Stealin’ …”
“Illinois - Home of the Kass Combine”
“Illinois - Where Corruption IS a Party”
“Illinois - Ethics Challenged, Corruption Approved”
- mark walker - Thursday, Feb 16, 12 @ 2:55 pm:
Clearly, convicting people isn’t changing the culture.
- been there - Thursday, Feb 16, 12 @ 3:08 pm:
“Sin Pays”
- Casual observer - Thursday, Feb 16, 12 @ 3:47 pm:
Our leaders can keep a straight face while saying “I keep governing and campaigning seperate”.
- D.P. Gumby - Thursday, Feb 16, 12 @ 3:59 pm:
Illinois–Where’s Mine?!
- Say WHAT? - Thursday, Feb 16, 12 @ 4:01 pm:
Illinois - Bleepin golden!
- I don't want to live in Teabagistan - Thursday, Feb 16, 12 @ 4:18 pm:
Illinois–bringing you the best of Athens, Greece and Lagos, Nigeria, without leaving home!
- zatoichi - Thursday, Feb 16, 12 @ 4:54 pm:
Built for business!
- wordslinger - Thursday, Feb 16, 12 @ 5:38 pm:
Land of Lincoln.
The Prairie State.
- Retired Non-Union Guy - Thursday, Feb 16, 12 @ 6:22 pm:
Illinois - Home of the Chicago Way, Where You Pay To Play
- Jimmyd - Thursday, Feb 16, 12 @ 6:28 pm:
Illinois: Shaftin’ the public since 1818.
(Not the word I wanted, but I’ll keep it clean)
- mcb - Thursday, Feb 16, 12 @ 9:37 pm:
Someone should hold up this article in the House gallery and point to the Chicago reps, because it’s talking about you.
- Sick of It All - Friday, Feb 17, 12 @ 2:07 pm:
Rich, give Oswego Willy a prize - anything man! He is freakin’ brilliant! Very funny Willy!