Question of the day
Monday, Apr 30, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Finke…
There have been efforts for a while to place a statue of Ronald Reagan on the Statehouse grounds to honor the 40th president. U.S. Rep. DARIN LaHOOD of Peoria championed the effort when he was was a state senator, but he’s been in Congress since 2015. There’s still no Reagan statue.
Enter Rep. Tim Butler, R-Springfield, who has been very active in activities surrounding the Illinois bicentennial celebration. He was approached about the idea of finally doing that Reagan statue. He discussed the idea with some others who thought it would be fitting in this bicentennial year to have a statue of not only Reagan, but also of Barack Obama. That would mean all four presidents with ties to Illinois would be represented by statues at the Capitol. (In case you didn’t realize it, there is a statue of Ulysses S. Grant, but it is inside the rotunda). […]
Then the bill started moving through the legislative process. Butler said “it was suggested” another statue be added to the mix. This one would be of James Thompson, longest-serving Illinois governor.
Done yet? Nope. Next up was Reuben Soderstrom. Who, you may ask? He was a state representative who also was president of the Illinois State Federation of Labor and later the Illinois AFL-CIO.
But wait, there’s more. The next suggestion was to add a statue of former Chicago Mayor Harold Washington. And why limit the selection to people born in the 20th century, especially when you might be able to swing a discount by ordering statues in bulk? Let’s add a statue of Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable, the first resident of Chicago.
* The Question: Your Statehouse statue suggestion(s)?
- DuPage - Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 11:59 am:
Who I going to make statues if they don’t get paid for years?
- Head scratcher - Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 12:01 pm:
Let’s be realistic about our state history. Otto Kerner, Dan Walker, George Ryan and Rod Blagojevich.
- Pieroge tirebiter - Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 12:02 pm:
Bill Veeck. True Renaissance Man.
- City Zen - Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 12:04 pm:
A statue like the Harry Carry statue outside Wrigley, except it’s a state pension and below are all the amorphous, tortured souls of governors-past attempting to escape its clutches.
- Dee Lay - Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 12:05 pm:
Obama seems the most obvious.
Snarkily, I would suggest Squeezy the Pension Python.
- JoanP - Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 12:07 pm:
Cap Streeter.
- Ryan - Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 12:07 pm:
A U-Haul truck.
- wordslinger - Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 12:08 pm:
You could do Gov. I’m-Not-in-Charge. It could be the invisible man, cost nothing.
Seriously, pairing Obama and Reagan is a no-brainer. Surprised that they can’t get a clean bill on that.
- Anonymous - Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 12:08 pm:
The state doesn’t have the money to be doing such things unless it can generate revenue.
Two options:
1. Mike Frerichs Statue/Cell Phone Tower
2. Coin Operated Speaker Madigan Statue that swallows quarters and dispenses proportional tax benefits.
- DuPage Saint - Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 12:09 pm:
Lee Daniels. Last and I mean like last one ever Republican Speaker of House
- very old soil - Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 12:10 pm:
Mike Madigan and Rich Miller. Both are already fixtures in the Capitol. And, Rich, I mean that in a nice way.
- Anonymous - Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 12:21 pm:
Jake & Elwood.
- Nishi - Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 12:23 pm:
Will every penny come out of the $500,000 Emergency Statue Fund? I hope that someone else gets that reference to an episode of The Golden Girls.
- Stones - Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 12:23 pm:
Paul Powell and his shoebox.
- Broadcaster - Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 12:23 pm:
My vote would be Judy Barr Topinka
- Cheryl44 - Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 12:25 pm:
Jane Addams. Ida B. Wells. Bessie Coleman. Oprah.
- The_Equalizer - Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 12:27 pm:
We need a statue of The Pension Ramp. Plus we could use it as a skate park.
- Practical Politics - Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 12:28 pm:
The statue of Grant is easily missed unless you are looking at the dome. It is perched on a ledge quite a way up.
A Reagan statue seems to be an obvious choice as he was the only native Illinoisan to be elected President. Lincoln, Grant and Obama were all moved here later on. Reagan was born and educated here.
- Truthteller - Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 12:29 pm:
Given the state’s fiscal woes, Rauner is the easy answer.
He could just stand in place as he has been doing for three years. No expense involved.
- Pot calling kettle - Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 12:30 pm:
==Otto Kerner, Dan Walker, George Ryan and Rod Blagojevich.==
==Paul Powell and his shoebox.==
They would be in a fenced section.
- Pyrman - Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 12:33 pm:
Rep. Jay Hoffman—how many Capital ‘s have a pumpkin head statue?
- Anonymous - Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 12:34 pm:
A statue commemorating the Sam Vadalebene and John Knuppel fist fight on the Senate floor
- Just Me - Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 12:36 pm:
MJM if it would lead to his retirement finally.
- Honeybear - Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 12:36 pm:
Saul Alinsky
- Thomas Paine - Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 12:38 pm:
Jackie Joyner-Kersee
Sports Illustrated Greatest Female Athlete of All-Time
- OneMan - Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 12:40 pm:
The unknown lobbyist.
- Bigtwich - Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 12:41 pm:
==Otto Kerner, Dan Walker, George Ryan and Rod Blagojevich.==
==Paul Powell and his shoebox.==
I would pass on Walker. His crime was not related to service in office. I would also include Len Small, Otto Kerner, Jr., Orville Hodge. I skipped Bill Scott sine his crime did not relate to state service.
It would make for a nice meditation garden.
- a drop in - Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 1:00 pm:
John Peter Altgeld
- Anonish - Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 1:03 pm:
A Federal Indictment
- Wallinger Dickus - Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 1:12 pm:
An action hero duo: John Knuppel and the Campbell Kid.
- Anonymous - Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 1:14 pm:
=We need a statue of The Pension Ramp. Plus we could use it as a skate park.=
The_Equalizer FTW
- 47th Ward - Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 1:17 pm:
===Reagan was born and educated here.===
Yes, well. Then he moved to California at the age of 26 where he remained for the rest of his long life. At least Lincoln, Grant and Obama chose to live in Illinois even if they weren’t lucky enough to be born here.
- Can - Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 1:43 pm:
Reagan, Obama, Topinka and MJM (after he retires).
- Montrose - Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 1:56 pm:
Cheap Trick
- TominChicago - Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 1:57 pm:
Paul Simon.
- @misterjayem - Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 2:21 pm:
“Your Statehouse statue suggestion(s)?”
Like Reagan, Kanye is a celebrity born and raised in Illinois prior to moving to California and taking up politics.
– MrJM
- Kent Gray - Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 2:26 pm:
A perfect, Illinois based representative of many decades of Illinois’ elected officials…Bozo the Clown.
- wordslinger - Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 2:47 pm:
–At least Lincoln, Grant and Obama chose to live in Illinois even if they weren’t lucky enough to be born here.–
Grant not so much. Out of desperation, he took a job from his father-in-law and moved to Galena in 1860. Never really went back after the war broke out, but used it as his official residence when he ran for president.
- A guy - Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 3:15 pm:
Our Speaker. It would be super cost effective. Just Bronze him at the end of session.
- Mama - Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 3:36 pm:
== Your Statehouse statue suggestion(s)? ==
I recommend Rich Miller. He has spent more time at the state capitol than some governors.
- Anonymous - Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 4:45 pm:
If Rich were immortalized with a statue, i guess you could say he was stoned.
- 32nd Ward Roscoe Village - Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 4:58 pm:
Sorry Anonymous at 1:14 p.m. is me; my browser keeps deleting my nickname.
- Anonymous - Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 5:44 pm:
Dan Proft, John Tillman, & Dick uihlien
- revvedup - Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 6:49 pm:
/snark/Alfred E. Neuman, representing clueless Illinois politicians at all levels, titled “What, me govern??”
On a more positive note, a tribute to the Unknown Voters who try desperately to not vote in the Neumans of our State.
- Pot calling kettle - Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 8:40 pm:
==John Peter Altgeld ==
Only if it is atop a castle.
- A Jack - Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 8:44 pm:
John L Lewis, President of the UMW from 1920 to 1960. He is buried in Oak Ridge.
- Arthur Andersen - Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 10:31 pm:
Sam Vadalabene slugging Mark Q. Rhoads.
- Ross Brown - Monday, Apr 30, 18 @ 11:06 pm:
Jesse White
- Jerry - Wednesday, May 2, 18 @ 9:09 am:
A weeping Lincoln…..
- Rabid - Wednesday, May 2, 18 @ 6:53 pm:
Jubilation t corn pone