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Question of the day

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Illinois

Once again, it’s time to suggest your own Question of the Day. What do you want answered by our very own Magic Eight Ball?

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 5:40 am

Comments

Will the various Federal investigations being conducted in Illinois by Patrick Fitzgerald and his “Untouchables” eventually lead to Mayor Daley or Rod Blagojevich being indicted? If the answer is “yes”, will it take place before this November’s election?

Comment by Beowulf Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 5:59 am
Will Rich Miller stop his vendetta campaign of publishing reckless unfounded accusations against the best governor Illinois has had since Abraham Lincoln?

Comment by Patriotic Illinoisan Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 6:10 am
Abraham Lincoln was NEVER governor ! Or was it since “Honest Abe” was in the legislature or as president!?? Been a lot of governors since then that have done in one afternoon more good than this guy ever hoped for !! Rich’s columns are thoughtful, factual & good journalism ! I appreciate it & certainly this blog site to read the news & to express our view points.

“”Will Bladgo supporters please wake up from their nap or trance & realize what a mistake they’ve made in supporting him, his failed plans, policies & rally to unseat him in November !” {please be YES!}

Comment by annon. in the stykes Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 6:20 am
Four questions:
1) â€“ What was the purpose of changing the vacation policy? (It was not because of how people in the last administration were able to cash in on all the unused vacation days when they retired. Policy only allows you to carry over two years worth of vacation and the maximum amount of days you get is 25 days per year.)
2) Why does the vacation policy only affect the State Police and IDOT?
3) What is the status of the State Policeâ€™s lawsuit against this administration for changing the vacation policy?
4) What ever happened to IDOTâ€™s reorganization?

Comment by state worker #1 Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 6:25 am
Patriotic Illinoisan please wake up from what would appear to be a “Meth” induced stupor! This is the worst govenor this state has ever had and I regret to say I voted for him. If I had a Magic Eight Ball my wish after suffering his reign these last years would be that the invesgiations happen expeditiously and prevent him from running in November! His administration could’ve taught Communist Russia a thing or two about propoganda and lawlessness!

Comment by angry and outraged Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 6:34 am
Who will Mike Tristano’s having recorded phone conversations for several years bring down?

What former or present House GOP staffers have been or will be talking to Federal investigators?

Comment by Cal Skinner Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 6:56 am
Will the recent revelations about Sam Flood’s role in patronage hiring put pressure on Blago to dump Flood and hire a real natural resource professional to run and salvage the Illinois Department of Natural Resources from the political hacks?

Comment by vole Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 6:58 am
Should the federal investigation focus, in part, on the sources of demand for illegal hiring including “sponsors” and “improperly hired” employees who used “clout” to get around Rutan prohibitions?

Comment by Anon Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 7:12 am
Facts:Judy Bore draws a “massive” crowds of 120 for her McCain event, trails God by 11 points and fumbles through her biz giveawway plan.
Question: Is she trying to be laughed out Illinois or hoping to be dumped for Alan Keyes II?

Comment by Reddbyrd Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 7:55 am
Despite escalating ethics and legal difficulties for the Governor, is Illinois too deeply blue to elect anyone other than a Democrat?

Comment by Check the numbers Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 8:03 am
Will there be a flurry of 4 year democrat appointments following the election loss of Blogo? (is the Pope Catholic?) Who will they be? Will we see a list? Upon taking office as Governor, will Topinka try to fire the illegally reappointed people much like her predecessor has done? And will Rich publish Blogo’s address at Club Fed so we can all send him cards of encouragement?

Comment by Little Egypt Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 8:42 am
When will real facts be printed in the our schools history books? Everyone knows Lincoln was our governor, G Washington was the first mayor of Chicago, and Ernie Banks played for the White Sox in their 1959 Worlds Series victory. Kudos to Patriotic Illinoisan for not letting facts get in the way of in-depth analysis.

Comment by zatoichi Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 8:50 am
1) What impact, if any, will the Gay Games have on realpolitik in Chicago, the Suburbs and/or Downstate?

2) Is Chicago’s quest for the Olympics financially and politically viable, or will it suffer a similar fate as the previous quest for the World’s Fair?

Comment by Anon sequitur Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 9:06 am
In Wednesdayâ€™s question of the day last week, I mentioned the stateâ€™s higher education system. Several other commenters responded to this. How about a question concerning the status of public higher education in Illinois currently?

Then in Thursdayâ€™s QOTD you asked for state-wide predictions, including General Assembly races, yet most responders talked about U. S. congress. Could you create a thread for observations about state legislative races, specifically those where the incumbent is not running?

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 9:19 am
My question would be “What is the stupidest story you have ever heard Rod tell to a crowd while on the road”? My vote would be the Elvis story that he told at the laborers event this weekend.

Comment by Anon Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 9:20 am
There seems to be a little anger these days about how the hiring takes place in Springfield. I sometimes wonder if some of the critics on this blog are state employees.

If so, my question is for all of the state workers that post on this blog. Forget about the â€œIâ€™m going to change business as usual.â€ How did you get your position with the state? Who was your tall? Did you have to go through you county chairman, or did you have bigger juice?

Or, are you one of the state employees that simply took a test and got called to work?

Comment by B Hicks Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 9:46 am
Is the Gov’s scheme to sell the lottery DOA?

Will Cook County voters tolerate the blatant double nepotism in the appointments of Todd Stroger and Beavers’ daughter?

Comment by respectful Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 10:05 am
1. What ever happened with the situation where Madigan’s staffers (who had taken time off to work on Dem campaigns) got mysterious “bonuses” from the taxpayers at the end of the year? Wasn’t that a variation on the Daniels/Tristano scheme? I’ve never seen so many subpoenas fly at a public office, only to hear absolutely nothing for years afterward.

2. When will voters wake up and throw out the crooks and nepotists in Chicago and Cook County?

3. Can someone name the 10-plus reasons the US Atty will name when rationalizing why Achoo-chevic won’t be indicted PRIOR to the general election, ala what they pulled with Ryan, sticking us with 4 years of corruption and cronied-up pork (Illinois First).

Comment by Uncle Slappy Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 10:07 am
Is Illinois’ corruption problem systemic, or merely a case of “bad apples”?

If systemic, what structure(s) (Illinois Constitution or Statutes) aggravate the problem?

What changes are suggested?

Comment by William Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 10:15 am
How big of a hole will the Democrats dig themselves into by randomly objecting to more than 15,000 perfectly valid signatures, collected by Rich Whitney and the Green Party? Will the ministers, activists, and even city council members resent being objected to by the Democrats? Will the voters of Illinois punish the Democrats for trying to take away their right to choose?

Comment by Squideshi Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 10:20 am
Sadly Squid, there’s no hole. They always do that. File a lengthy petition on a Monday, they’ll have hundreds or thousands of line-by-line objections on Tuesday or Wednesday; it’s just a matter of “eenie-meenie-minie-moe.” And I can’t ever recall the bigger democratic organizations ever being punished for it.

Comment by Uncle Slappy Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 10:46 am
I am pretty sure Blago and at least John Daley are going to jail, so for my questions I am more uncertain.

1) Will Cook County voters stand for the Stroger inheritance?

2) Who will squeal on the Daleys - Degnan, Reyes, Sorich or Slattery?

3) Will marital fidelity be brought into question in the governor’s race (or any legislative race for that matter)?

Ashur Odishoo
Candidate
State Representative 11th District

Comment by Ashur Odishoo Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 11:26 am
B Hicks - I am an IDOT employee. The only relative I had in State employee was my grandfather (worked for the Dept of Public Works & Buildings - Div of Highways) who retired in the early 60’s and died in the mid 80’s. I got hired in 91.

I had no pull,tall, juice or what ever, with anybody. I applied & had 1 interview at school because I heard IDOT was hiring. 2 districts called me for further interviews. 1 district turned my down and 1 district hired me.

I got hired for a professional position, so no test.

The majority of the people I work with were hired the same way. We know who the hacks are because they just appeared in the office.

Comment by "B Team" Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 12:23 pm
With the name “All Kids,” you would think that this program was available to all kids. That isn’t the case. Should it be? Furthermore, is it good for the government to try to raise up the lower class while the middle class struggles to pay the bills? Is there any benefit to making $50,000 a year versus $20,000 a year when the government will subsidize the rest? The point: Shouldn’t the government do it for everybody or do it for nobody?

Comment by Lovie's Leather Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 12:26 pm
“”I’d like anybody’s support,” she added. “I think everybody ought to be on my side. If they’re smart, they will be.”

Question: Is she saying that those of us (likely more than 50% of the Illinois population are stupid?

Comment by Frank Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 12:31 pm
By the way, that statement was made by Judy Topinka

Comment by Frank Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 12:36 pm
The June 20, 2006, letter from Patrick Fitzgerald to Lisa Madigan tells us that both their offices were investigating fraudulent state hiring practices. But there was not one word about improperly let contracts. What should we infer? Is neither office investigating? One but not the other? Both, but the terrain is so broad they are not worried about tripping over one another?

Comment by Reading the entrails Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 2:07 pm
Uncle Slappy — Mike Madigan remains the only Illinois elected official investigated by U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald and cleared. Unlike Republican Lee Daniels. While the GOP spin machine tried to make alot of hay, accusing Madigan of handing out bonuses for political work, the fact that many of those bonuses went to people who never worked on a campaign really blew a hole in that spin.

Of course, this was all to distract us from the GOP of doing business, which according to Michael Tristano was exactly what the GOP had accused Democrats of: using state resources to reward people for doing political work, and doing campaign work on state time.

Nuff said.

My QOTD: What will be the impact on 2006 Elections if Green Party candidate Rich Whitney remains in the Governor’s race? What impact will it have on the Green Party?

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 2:20 pm
Dusty Baker: What’s He Thinking?

Comment by Establishment Republican Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 2:40 pm
Will Mayor Daley run again?

Comment by ThePiper Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 2:45 pm
Oh magic 8 ball, please tell me….

1. Does Blagojevich understand that he was merely elected Governor, and not crowned Emperor, of Illinois?
2. How much longer will the people of Illinois tolerate this corruption from both major parties?
3. When will the state budget process be open to public view?
4. What is the real total amount of state debt at this moment? (exclusive of any B.S. spin)
5. Where are Jimmy Hoffa and Emilia Earhardt?

Comment by one of the 35 Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 2:52 pm
Possible future QOTD: To anyone who has (or is planning to have) kids, grandkids, nieces, nephews, neighbor kids, etc., what and how are you teaching them about entering public service?

Comment by Marie C. Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 3:16 pm
Oh Magic Eight Ball-
Which incumbents are in the biggest trouble this election cycle?
Which law should be removed from the books in our state?
Why Peotone?
Are there any third party candidates out there that have a shot of winning anything?
SIGNS POINT TO NO.

Comment by Jake from Elwood Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 3:31 pm
When will Stu Levine start cooperating?

Comment by just wondering Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 4:04 pm
When will the Gov. finally step in and end the strike at the Sheridan prison with Gateway?????
He has a national model there and Gateway is ruining it!

Comment by Dem 61350 Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 5:08 pm
I noticed that one of the news links had the following quote: “… Governor Rod Blagojevich made a campaign stop in Marion Saturday afternoon, …” Does anybody know if Public Official A was checking out the accomodations at the federal prison?

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 5:26 pm
Hate to be redundant, but…
Which General Assembly races will emerge as the tightest?
Will downstate Dems be burned by connections to the Guv?
How many GA seats will be gained/lost by Speaker Madigan, Pres. Jones and Company?
Of personal interest (I live in the district): Will the 49th Senate district be retained by Deanna Demuzio and the Dems, or will GOP nominee Jeff Richey convince 49th voters of the need for a “choice for change”?

Inquiring minds want to know!

Comment by IndeThinker Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 5:27 pm
What does open seat seeker Peter Roskam have to say about Social Security…?

(crickets chirping)

What do Matt Murphy or Cheryl Axley have to say about, well, anything… (they’re also running for essentially open seats after all)?

(again, are those crickets I hear chirping?)

Sure do seem to be a lot of Republicans who don’t want actually to state positions on the issues of the day so, here’s your QOTD: Why don’t these Republicans and others like them believe in themselves and their positions enough to talk about them in public?

Comment by NW burbs Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 5:29 pm
State Worker #1 -the vacation policy that applies to State Police & IDOT is also in place at the Tollway!

B Hicks -I applied for the job like many others at the Tollway and got it. My name isn’t on any “clout” list.

Question will the first Union Contract for the Authority’s salaried employees move quickly?

Comment by angry and outraged Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 5:38 pm
As to the strike at Sheridan I think the gov wants to stay clear of anything with a fence, concertina wire & bars ! That mess will be a tough call even for the “Magic 8 Ball”

Comment by annon. in central illinois Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 5:38 pm
State Worker #1-maybe I misunderstood you the salaried Tollway employees can only carry over 5 days. I believe that is how the non-union State Police are being handled as well. This is of course a newly established policy.

NW Burbs-we have tried over the last 2 years to bring issues to the public and up until recently it was almost impossible to get anyone to show any interest!

Comment by angry and outraged Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 5:48 pm
Why do so many “anons” act as if this governor is the best thing to ever happen to the state? One would think they are comparing him to pop-top beer cans.

Why do those “anons” never use a nickname and only seem to use horrible spelling, grammar, etc.?

Comment by Buck Flagojevich Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 6:05 pm
angry and outraged

I believe you;)

Comment by B Hicks Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 6:11 pm
Dear Magic eight ball,
1. Who actually represents the Latino community? Is it Guitterez, Munoz, Martinez,Reyes?
2. Why are the Latino Polticians fighting one another and in different factions, whose working together and why are they fighting?
3.Who will replace Congressman Gutierrez?Canididates, how they will win and who will support them!

Comment by who represents Latinos Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 6:14 pm
Will the Democrats in Cook County with higher pollitical aspirations,black,white and hispanic, truely support Stroger, knowing that if he wins he will become unbeatable for the next 20 years?
Will upcoming, rising political stars in the Cook Democratic machine, decide to drop Stroger and assist Peraica this fall, so in 4 years they can run and unseat him?

Comment by Machivilli Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 6:18 pm
What is the futur of Hispanic poltics in Cook County? Why are the different factions fighting each other, and who will win ?
Who will replace Gutierrez for congress?
Who will knock out the current hispnic polticians, who have done nothing for there community, such as Soliz,Maldonado,Reboyas,etc.?
What hispanic poltician has the most respect from other elcted officials and leaders, and
Who will be the first Hisapnic to run state wide or County wide(for a significant position) and win!

Comment by Michigan Ave Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 6:24 pm
Buck Flagojeivich-don’t you get it some of the “anons” are Blago minions that speak out on this blog to make us sound like all we are out to do is bash the gov. with no evidence! They are employees probably “Interns” that are well educated like “Patriotic Illinoisan” who is such a history buff that he knows Blago is the best governor in this state since Abraham Lincoln! Wonder if he knows that the last time a Dem was in office “Ole man Daley” and his crew went down to Springfield screaming that they wanted Olgilvie back! (a Republican!).

Comment by angry and outraged Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 6:41 pm
It’s great isn’t it ….incompetance at even the intern entry levels. It’s like somehow their words will somehow make it all better …ahhh! if wishing it made it so. Perhaps they should pull their internet access at work & quit browsing the blogs & try to get the “peoples work” done. Think of the $$$ Bladgo could save to present yet another failed program with a big price tag. Oh well !! “”Magic 8 Ball”" give us a sign !!

Comment by annon. in central illinois Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 7:13 pm
OK, back to a serious discussion of the question at hand…

Many posters on this board (myself included) seem to be fed up with the current choices on both side of the political aisle. Both dems and repubs seem much more interested in political posturing and feeding at the public trough than in actual governing. So my question is, what (if anything) will it take to get a viable, centrist, third political option in Illinois? And who would you like to see as a standard-bearer for that party?

Comment by S. Illinois Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 7:32 pm
Instant Runoff Voting would be a good start.

Comment by Squideshi Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 7:40 pm
What do we have to do to institute term limits in the GA and Governor’s office? And if such a system went into place, where would the power nexus shift to?

Comment by Gregor Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 7:59 pm
1) How did the media let the heat die down on the Louis Farrakhan Nation of Islam official appointed to IL Hate Crimes Committee member?? Did the Governor know [as Sister Claudette Marie Muhammad claimed] or did he appoint someone he had no clue about?
2) Indictment(s) before or after the November election?

Comment by North of I-80 Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 8:05 pm
Will “patriotic Illinoisan” (comments above) be placed in a private institution before or after top aids of the crook in chief are indicted?

Comment by watcher Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 8:46 pm
Depending on his age, maybe “ALL KIDS” can pick him up on their plan !! Now there will be 45,001 on the “plan”. There’s always the Canadian drugs, perhaps to keep him under control. Oh Nurse Ratchet !! Where are you !!!???

Comment by annon. Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 9:12 pm
My questions:

1. When will the voters of Illinois display some sense and not vote for any incumbents of either party? They are just as responsible for our fiscal mess as the governor because they don’t stand up to him and they take his handouts.

2. When will the people of Springfield find out about this big drug bust that everyone claims to know about but only 4 or 5 people, according to the SJR, are under investigation? Why is it taking so long and why is it so secretive? Must contain a lot of people “that somebody sent.”

3. When will someone stand up for the merit comp. workers of the State of Illinois, the ones who didn’t get their jobs through clout? Inflation up, cost of living up, gas sky-high and no raise for them in 4 years. Not even a kind word in 4 years.

Comment by Disgusted Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 9:13 pm
Why didn’t the State Police put out their own press release with the name of their director touting the high percentage of drivers now using seat belts? Why did it come out of the Governor’s office? Oh will someone please wake me when all this is over.

Comment by Little Egypt Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 10:19 pm
After November, when all the state wide seats are again won by Democrats, what and who will the republicans do to win in Illinios?
Will the republicans throw out the ineffective leadership team of McKenna and friends, and move away from the Mark Kirk and Denny Hasert and Tomm Cross, and instead find true republican leaders who are not afraid of the Democrats and find republicans who won’t curtsy to Madigan,daley,Hines and Jackson ?
Who can lead the republicans out of the desert of oblivion?

Comment by River Forest Republican Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 10:30 pm
qotd — when the smoke clears, how many young familys will have some health insurance in place for their kids? hasn’t affordable heath care been an issue dear to most voters?

qotd — is the object of “all kids” to allow uninsured families of modest means to realize a “group insurance type rate” that they can afford?

Comment by at the end of the day Monday, Jul 17, 06 @ 10:52 pm
Why does Chicago State University have over $100 MM in current capital projects - signbificantly more than any other state univerity (all with a student population under 9,000? (If you guessed a Mr. E. Jones, who also has a significant new building named after him, go to the head of the class)

Comment by Peaches Tuesday, Jul 18, 06 @ 12:32 am
Oh Magic Eight Ball…

Will I avoid having a bad hair day with this heat wave going?

Comment by Rod Blagojevich Tuesday, Jul 18, 06 @ 9:19 am
Will the Revere Group and Donna Simmons study of the State’s personnel systems ever see the light of day?
Or were they just schemes to skim money off of the public treasury?
What changes to the personnel system have been implemented as a result of these expensive studies recommendations, if there were any?

What is the progress on recovering the millions given to the Campaign worker created IPAM?

Comment by Alan Tuesday, Jul 18, 06 @ 7:32 pm