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The governor once again lashes out at whistleblowers, calling them “scoundrels.”
But Blagojevich, who is facing a challenge from Republican Judy Baar Topinka, lashed out against those who he said were making “wrongful and harmful” accusations against his administration that have led to state and federal investigations into alleged improprieties involving hiring, contracting and fundraising.“C’mon,” he told reporters after an appearance before the Metropolitan Planning Council. “It’s absurd, ludicrous, ridiculous, outlandish, OK? Accusations by scoundrels, OK?”
He’s sounding more and more like George Ryan every day.
He also went back to an old complaint.
The governor said he believed complaints about his administration, including those that have resulted in state and federal investigations, were a result of the “push back” from “bringing change” and “ruffling feathers” and “shaking up a system.”“When you change things, it’s going to be filled with conflict and tension. That’s inherent,” Blagojevich said. “And I frankly think all of that you hear and the stuff that people say and the complaints and the criticism and the loose accusations that people make that are wrongful and harmful–that’s proof that we’re changing things and not afraid to make the hard choices.”
But it sure looks like he was going along and getting along on this little gem.
Gov. Blagojevich last year billed the new Illinois Global Partnership as “another effective tool in creating more opportunities for our working families to get ahead.”But the only people who really got ahead were the trade group’s $100,000-plus-a-year executives, who traveled, wined and dined on the taxpayers’ dime, a state audit shows.
The idea for the group was pushed by state House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago), who encouraged the governor to name business consultant Thomas H. Miner as the group’s CEO.
UPDATE: Krol’s column today about George Ryan ended thusly.
But what always struck me during the trial was how relatively penny-ante all of it was. Prosecutors claimed Ryan received about $167,000 in ill-gotten benefits for himself and his family. Those same prosecutors now are looking into Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s campaign fund-raising practices amid last year’s (unproven) allegations in a federal plea agreement of a kickback scheme arranged by Blagojevich and two of his top fund-raisers. The governor has raised nearly $50 million since January 2001, with many of those millions coming from those to whom he awarded special contracts or appointments. That’s far from penny ante.When you stack up what Ryan was convicted of taking against what Blagojevich reaped for his campaign fund, the mind reels at what the proverbial scales of justice would look like should charges come out of the federal probe into Blagojevich’s dealings.
Ryan is considered an old-school relic today, but it’s not of a bygone era. The proverbial cigar-smoke-filled backroom of Ryan’s heyday hasn’t gone away, it’s just been replaced by fancy dinners in smoke-free restaurants where checks with a lot of zeroes at the end are written to campaign funds and lucrative special state contracts just happen to be granted soon thereafter. The gruff politicos of old are replaced by blow-dried types who are able to go in front of the cameras with a straight face after the deals are exposed and tell voters that you do things right — complete with an ever-present twinkle in your eye that says you don’t really take any of this seriously.
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 6:51 am
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“absurd, ludicrous, ridiculous, outlandish”
Gov. Endemichiringfraud just gave us the perfect description of his failed administration.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 7:05 am
Fitzgerald owes voters a speedy decision here with Blagojevich.
Armitage admitted his role in the Plame case and it’s inexpliable that Fitz put the country threw a ringer, and jailing too reporters; all while knowing the truth from day one.
If he’s pulling a similar stunt in Illinois its an assault on Democracy.
Comment by Bill Baar Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 7:24 am
I agree with 7:24.
The heroic mystique that surrounded Fitzgerald has now been sullied by the way he handled the Plame thing. He let people people twist in the wind when he knew he had nothing.
If Fitzgerald has something on this governor, let’s see it. If he has nothing, then say it and move on.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 7:40 am
I smell indictments right around the corner…
hopefully the uninformed voters will be able to see that the only people the guv cares about are the ones stuffing money in his pocket….
Comment by Anon Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 7:50 am
I feel much better knowing that Blogo feels that people whose rights he is trampling are just making up stories that are “…loose accusations that people make that are wrongful and harmful…” When cornered like a rat….lie. When caught red-handed…lie, when catching heat….lie and whine, when the pressure is on ….lie and whine. As a master of words and political buffoonery, here is a word he might understand….”time.” The trap has closed, he’s in it and it’s just a matter of “time.†Can you count the number of investigations the FBI is conducting involving Blogo and company. Where there’s fire, there’s fire folks. I for one know that ten of his best and brightest are going to understand the word “time†better than most, and no doubt he too will grimace when he hears it. TIME…..THUMP!!
Comment by Justice Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 7:54 am
Fitzgerald did nothing wrong in the “Plame thing”. He may have known that RIchard Armitage was the leak source, but others didn’t, and those others apparently lied to and/or misled federal investigators. That, too, is a crime, and Fitzgerald had every right and obligation to follow it up. Just because you can lie and mislead the American voters to get reelected doesn’t mean you can lie to the FBI and get away with it.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 8:18 am
Personally I am sick of listening to this guy talk to the press and the people of this state like we are not intelligent enough to figure out that EVERYTHING that comes out of his mouth is crap. I’m a die hard Dem. but I will be voting Repub. for the first time in my life this year due to this Joker!
Comment by Anon Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 8:45 am
The comparison chart between Ryan and Blago show that we are most definetly a one party state- that party being called corruption.
Comment by leigh Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 8:57 am
Blago needs to make his 2007 New Year’s Resolution simple: start accepting responsibility and accountability for his actions and the actions of his staff. Period.
It’s a sad day when an elected official who is running the fifth largest state in the country cannot even defend his actions without placing the blame on someone else. For once, Blago needs to quit crying about George Ryan, Patrick Fitzgerald, MJM, JBT, etc. and realize he looks worse and worse to any independent voters. If JBT is down by 8% in the latest Post-Dispatch poll, which over-sampled in Chicago, and there are nearly 12-13% of those voters who are undecided, Blago needs to worry.
Comment by Team Sleep Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 9:03 am
He sounded like a Daley at yesterday’s news conference….not a good sign.
Comment by Niles Township Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 9:03 am
I thought that the playbook called for Blago to
sound politely outraged at these pesky allegations and even peskier reporters. If quoted correctly, he is starting to sound hysterical, even squeaky.
Ditto money man Filan, who has been sounding a bit temperamental too.
The next four years are going to be great theater
in state government.
Comment by Cassandra Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 9:08 am
Team Sleep, did the Post-Dispatch put its regional sample sizes on the web? If it did, I missed it.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 9:15 am
He does sound like Ryan, but worse. It’s as if Blago has no conscience. He says the exact opposite of what everybody in state government knows or believes, based on his actions, to be true.
Comment by DeepFriedOnAStick Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 9:17 am
Would he be getting this treatment if he didn’t promise us he would not only run a more ethical administration, but would clean up state government at the same time?
He got elected on this. He received a mandate from voters on this. We didn’t change our minds, he did.
If he changed his mind about his, he needed to have told us. “I know I promised to change business as usual, but I want to get re-elected.” Or, “I know I promised to reform our state, but the job has been much bigger than I originally thought. In the meantime, I have to play the same corrupt game to get re-elected”.
He tried to do this when he was justifying why he was scooping up cash at $2200 a hour, while proposing campaign reform that would not allow it. He tried to have it both ways. The whole PR stunt got really bad when he referred to his testicular virility.
At NOT ONE TIME, did Blagojevich demonstrate even an inkling of any sincerity regarding reform. He is a leader? He could of stood there and announced that he was giving his war chest to charity, and announce that he would be running his campaign based on his own damn reform proposals. He could have accepted responsibilities ONCE during the past four freakin years.
Instead we got this from him. Fool me in 2002, shame on you - fool me in 2006, I’d be an idiot.
Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 9:34 am
“absurd, ludicrous, ridiculous, outlandishâ€
Is he using Jesse Jackson’s speech writer or what? After a certain point you can’t fall back on the “it was a mess and it takes time to change things” philosophy anymore. The issue becomes it is a mess, it’s your watch, and what are you doing to solve the problems. Politics does get pretty cut throat. Rod seems to have gotten very sensitive and thin skinned with any criticism coming his way. Unfortunately it comes as part of the turf that he wanted. He seems to be drifting off the script which is almost always trouble.
Comment by zatoichi Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 9:46 am
Time will answer all questions about corruption for the Reform and Renewal administration. Most of you have already drawn your conclusions, as I have. It’s sad, but I’m afraid there are more embarrassing days ahead for Illinoisans.
Comment by Centrist Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 9:58 am
blagoliarvich is truly unbelievable. He talks out both sides of his mouth on a regular basis. what happened to his “reform and reformation” backdrop from his early media events? carterville is 1 on school list when down south, rochester is 1 when in central illinois and he must just laugh when telling the chicago suburb schools that they are truly the no. 1 because they get all of the money. he lies about contracts, his own peoples behavior, pension funds, political ties and let’s not forget all of those legitimate firings of republicans in rutan covered positions and the hirings of democrats in those same rutan covered positions. he is a true disgrace to illinois and politics in general. yes, ryan was involving in wrongdoing BUT SO IS BLAGO LIAR VICH!!!
Justice, I hope you are telling the truth because his “time” needs to come up and I hope he spends plenty of “time” in a federal prison! Anon 8:45 is not the only dem voting R for the first time. There are plenty of them who are ashamed at what we have elected…once again. Illinois is a complete disgrace.
Comment by can't stand the lying Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 9:58 am
I almost agree with Bill. I would love to see the hammer come down on Rod tomorrow. Unfortunately, we will not see any action before the election. How long was Ryan out of office before they brought him down? It is our responsibility as voters to oust the current Captain Corrupt-O now, telling the state government and the next Gov that we will be watching and will not tolerate any more. Whoever gets in next will be under constant scrutiny, with no room for error lest he/she be ripped apart here and by hungry media. I am for Judy…I think she can handle it.
Comment by Down with Captain Corrupt-O Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 9:59 am
I always look forward to reading Eric Krol’s columns in the Daily Herald each Friday. In my opinion he has rapidly become one of the best political commentators in the State.
(Sorry Rich!)
Louis G. Atsaves
Comment by Louis G. Atsaves Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 10:27 am
From the Wikipedia entry on “lying”:
……………………………..
In his book “On Bullsh_t” (2005; first published as an essay in 1986), Harry Frankfurt suggests that lying and bullsh_tting are not the same thing. A liar differs from a truth-teller in that the former wants to hide the truth while the latter wants to reveal it; but both are very much aware of what the truth is. A liar must remain mindful of the truth, if only so that he does not inadvertently reveal it. A bullsh_tter, however, is utterly indifferent to the truth. He would not mind if his statements turn out to be true. For example, a bank robber who denies that he robbed the bank is a liar; but a car salesman who assures a buyer, without bothering to check, that the car he is trying to sell has been driven only 10,000 miles is a bullsh_tter. The salesman would not care if it were to turn out that his claim is true after all. He simply does not care what the truth of the matter is.
Frankfurt acknowledges that “humbug”, as discussed in Max Black’s “The Prevalence of Humbug” (1985), is close in meaning to bullsh_t.
………………………………
I admit, I was surprised that Rod’s picture is not yet part of the Wikipedia entry, but it is a work in progress after all. And there is yet some disagreement as to if Rod is a pathological liar, or a sociopath, or some other classification in the DSM4.
Comment by Gregor Samsa Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 11:24 am
Rich,
I’ll answer for Team Sleep. At the very bottom of the STL P-D article was the sample size:
REGION:
Chicago/Cook County 353 interviews
Collar Counties 151 interviews
Central 210 interviews
Southern 86 interviews
Comment by muon Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 12:04 pm
I don’t appreciate being called a scoundrel by this joke of a Governor.
A man’s evil deeds will find him out.
Comment by A Whistleblower Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 12:14 pm
Thanks muon. I had the article but lost it.
That’s a lot of sampling down in Chicago. No matter how you slice it, and Chicago does have a lot of votes, but they don’t control as high of a percentage as the P-D polled. But polling is not always accurate and I don’t think the P-D does as good a job as SurveyUSA or Glengariff.
Comment by Team Sleep Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 12:17 pm
He’s the SCOUNDREL!
Blagojevich’s ethics reforms, creation of an inspector general,laws to investigate allegations of wrongdoing, “the system is completely different today”
And yes the SYSTEM different today, Blago’s SYSTEM is nothing but SMOKIN MIRRORS, corrupt to it’s core.
As Justice said it’s a matter TIME!
And TIME is on our side the so-called scoundrels .
Comment by Guy Fawkes Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 12:35 pm
OK it’s safe for Bill to come out now.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 12:39 pm
Team Sleep, I’d agree that it seems to oversample Cook. Cook was sampled with 44% interviews, but was only 39% of the vote in 2004. The P-D percentages for gov are consistent with no additional weighting factor. If I weight the regional responses by the 2004 vote fractions the result is 46% to 41%.
It’s not scientific, but it lends some credence to your concern.
Comment by muon Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 12:56 pm
Governor Blagojevich’s Definition of a scoundrel:
Is any Illinois state employee who speak their minds or are suspected of speaking their minds against him and his administration involving hiring, contracting and fund-raising, etc.
Governor Blagojevich has already decimated most if not all Illinois state agencies with his corrupt brand of politics.
If he’s re-elected on November 7, 2006 God help all the good people of Illinois!
Comment by Illinois State Employee Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 1:13 pm
Next time the Illinois Global Partnership needs people to travel overseas I will make room in my calender. Gov does want working people on these trips doesn’t he?
Comment by zatoichi Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 1:29 pm
No zatoichi, he wants campaign contributors, not working people.
Comment by Shallow Pharnyx Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 2:04 pm
Does anyone know how many jobs or offices inside of the various state agencies Blago has set up for his friends that were not there before he was governor? I bet the number is staggering.
Comment by DOWNSTATE Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 2:05 pm
This is just not fair with everybody picking on Rod. Come on you can’t believe all those other scoundrels when you have heard the spoken word of Rod. Rod has shown us the way and the light. When there were whistleblowers under Ryan they were just and honest people out to rid the state of the evildoers but that was then, this is now. These liars and make believers under Rod are just trying to bring down a just and honorable man who is being attacked because he is so righteous. If they could only see his hairbrush they would know what he says is true.
Comment by Blago Spinster Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 2:14 pm
This is just not fair with everybody picking on Rod. Come on you can’t believe all those other scoundrels when you have heard the spoken word of Rod. Rod has shown us the way and the light. When there were whistleblowers under Ryan they were just and honest people out to rid the state of the evildoers but that was then, this is now. These liars and make believers under Rod are just trying to bring down a just and honorable man who is being attacked because he is so righteous. If they could only see his hairbrush they would know what he says is true.
Comment by Blago Spinsters Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 2:14 pm
Oops sorry
Comment by Blago Spinsters Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 2:15 pm
DOWNSTATE-
You are a scoundrel for suggesting such an absurd, ludicrous, ridiculous, outlandish thing. You should be ashamed of yourself! You are in time-out until all of Chicago has their say.
Comment by Shallow Pharnyx Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 2:22 pm
Downstate….what would be even more staggering is the amount of pay the friends and cronies are getting.
Comment by Walking Wounded Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 2:25 pm
I take offense to being called a scoundrel like others. However, his statement only insinuates that he is aware that “whistleblower” generally have grounds to their claims, however, their claims don’t necessarily make him look good as the Governor and the next possible Governor.
So there you have it, politics take the forefront to creating an ethical government, rooting out corruption, reform and renewal, changing business as usual, ect.
If it doesn’t coincide with his political aspirations, then he denounces it.
AN ETHICAL GOVERNOR WOULD ADMIT HIS WRONG OR THE ERRORS OF HIS ADMINISTRATION, CALL IT FOR WHAT IT IS, CLEAN HOUSE and then you won’t have “scoundrels” blowing the whistle because there would be nothing to blow the whistle on.
I think I’ll sue for defamation of character!!!!!!
In regards to U.S Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, it is my hopes, wishes and prayers that he is, as I write this, dotting his t’s and i’s in the indictments.
I take no position on who should get them only that justice be served for the people of the State of Illinois and the “scoundrels”.
Comment by One Man Can Make A Difference Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 3:05 pm
Thanks, Rich.
I had heard about the delay but you did have me a little leery. I just hope the Stu rats them ALL out. Let’s not forget his political affiliation and who his real buddies are.
I guess these previous posts on this topic constitute the “serious, mature, intelligent” discussions I have been accused of disrupting.
Comment by Bill Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 3:18 pm
Bill,
The majority used Blago’s own words when posting. If they aren’t “serious, mature, and intelligent” don’t blame us.
Comment by Shallow Pharnyx Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 3:42 pm
Bill,
For once I am in total agreement….I also hope Stu rats them ALL out. Corruption is corruption no matter what the party you’re in.
Comment by Walking Wounded Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 3:58 pm
The many jobs or offices inside of the various state agencies Blagojevich has set up for his friends is staggering. Their salaries are sinful.
The Illinois Tollway and the Illinios Department of Transportation are ripe with Blagojevich’s scoundrels.
Where’s the outrage??????????
Comment by IL Tollway Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 3:59 pm
C’mon tollway.
I suppose that you got your job without any help. You just showed up off the street and were hired on the spot because it was so obvious that you would be a hardworking,competent,loyal employee.
Shallow,
I couldn’t find Captain Corrupt-o and BLAG LIAR OVICH anywhere is the governor’s statements.
Comment by Bill Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 4:19 pm
To: Bill - Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 4:19 pm
I along with a great many past and present Illinois Tollway and I.D.O.T. employees did get there jobs by applying and based upon our credentials did get offered positions - No Clout or connections.
Bill, why is that so hard to believe?
Comment by IL Tollway Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 4:28 pm
It is hard to believe because I was awake during the Thompson, Edgar, and, Ryan administrations.
Comment by Bill Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 4:41 pm
Gov. Blagojevich seems to be the most corrupt politician Illinois has had in many many years…including the former Governor who may be serving time in prison. Unfortunately, as much as I dislike him and as much as many of you express your dislike, he seems to be untouchable. I work for the State of Illinois and I haven’t had a raise in 5 years (I’m merit comp) and I’m disheartened by the fact that I just don’t believe he can be beat. I’ve almost given up hope that there is any light at the end of this horrible tunnel we’ve been lost in since January 2002. How can we really get this guy out of office??
Comment by State Worker given up Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 4:45 pm
State worker,
I feel your pain about the raises even though it is not exactly true. But the question I have is why haven’t you moved on to another position in the private sector where you would be appreciated and paid what you are worth.
Comment by Bill Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 4:50 pm
Rod is using “scoundrel” in a very insulting way. As a member of the Villains, Thieves and Scoundrels Union I take offense. Then again I am in Local 12, not with these yahoos.
Comment by Boris Badenov Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 4:50 pm
I think Blagojevich has a lot of nerve calling the whistleblowers scoundrels suggesting he inherited the mess he is in today. He surely did not inherit the mess he allowed to flourish between AFSCME, the union, and the Gateway Foundation at Sheridan Correctional Center. I am a Counselor III doing contract work for Gateway who shares employment responsibilities with the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC)/Sheridan.
AFSCME is the bargaining unit for some of the counselors at Sheridan. AFSCME created a strike on June 6, 2006. I am not a member of the union. I attempted to cross the picket line but IDOC locked me out of my job because I did not strike stating I was a security risk but allowed similarly situated employees to cross the picket lines. I was not able to go back to work at Sheridan until September 7, 2006.
I filed for unemployment benefits but was denied even though I met the criteria pursuant to the Illinois Unemployment Insurance Act, sections 601 and 604. On September 7, 2006 I called about my appeal and I found out that AFSCME represents the employees of the Illinois Department of Employment Security. This raises new questions, which I have not received answers from as the date of this writing.
I have written Blagojevich’s office several times about this fiasco. I posted and published the details on my websites at http://clickforjusticeandequality.blogspot.com/ and http://clickforjusticeandequality2.blogspot.com/.
Who is the scoundrel? Why isn’t the public aware of this issue?
Comment by C.L.I.C.K. for Justice and Equality Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 4:50 pm
To: - Bill - Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 4:41 pm
Are you a state employee?
Comment by IL Tollway Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 4:51 pm
Has anybody noticed that the longer the negative words to discredit a foe, words like absurd, ludicrous, ridiculous, outlandish, scoundrels, the closer they are to getting caught?
Comment by Huh? Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 5:08 pm
To Bill…
I’m not sure what you mean by “not exactly true”. I was hired by the state in September of 2001. Right after I was hired, the hiring freeze took effect. By the time my annual evaluation came around, raises had also been frozen. I did receive a 4% raise in December of 2005, however, that merely replaced the 4% I lost when Rod took it for his pension plan. So…I have not received a raise in 5 years. Now…regarding your question about leaving and going to the private sector, there’s not a lot to choose from out there.
Comment by State Worker given up Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 5:08 pm
The post re: Levine seems to further indicate what many commmenters here have been saying for months. Rich said it as well in his comments.
The Current Occupant is in a very uncomfortable position right now.
He has no way of knowing what evidence the Government has amassed in each of ten investigations. He has been interviewed by the FBI.
He is certainly aware that a handful of his closest political associates are subjects, if not targets, of the investigations related to Levine.
He may be aware that dozens, if not hundreds, of State employees and contractors have been interviewed by Federal agents and testified before grand juries as part of those investigations.
He is aware that USA Fitzgerald has a 100 percent conviction rate in political corruption cases.
These types of comments are probably as good as he can do under the circumstances.
Arthur Andersen
aka Scoundrel #165
Comment by Arthur Andersen Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 5:46 pm
To Downstate 2:05, yes the numbers are staggering, at IDOT in my District/Region, we have hired closed to 60 political hacks. Not one has an engineering degree, but it sure is funny how some have been place in engineering positions, now call ‘manager positions’. We have hired representative girlfriends, the girlfriend’ friend, girlfriend’s girlfriend (no mistake), kids of friends, plumbers, music teachers, do-nothings, high school kids, political science, paralegal, bar maids, and this is just the people who come to the office. We have a couple that have never been seen. One came in about two years ago (straight out of high school) making more then the lady whose position he eventually took when she got so disgusted with him sitting there playing computer games all day and she retired after 30+ years. They had to hire her back for 75 days to correct all the mistakes he made doing the payroll.
Comment by state worker A Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 6:08 pm
Krol needs to learn how to use the word proverbial and then quit over-using it.
Comment by P Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 6:15 pm
Blago forgot some adjectives such as derisory, farcial, gelastic & preposterous!
Illinois Tollway whether you are past or present all this attention has not stopped the creating of jobs for his hacks! I agree God Help Us All if there is another 4 more years and the way the Tollway is acting they are confident he will be here another 4 more years!
And for you “Bill” I got my job by filling out an application-No Clout!. Hate to disappoint you!
Comment by angry & outraged Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 6:18 pm
Rich -
Blagojevich called Topinka and Birkett “scoundrels” - not the whistleblowers.
I can see where you might have thought otherwise by the article you linked, but if you had heard the entire exchange you would know that he was asked to respond to Birkett’s comments.
Comment by RealTime Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 8:41 pm
To Bill,
There is another reason why state workers have been unable to leave state employment for the private sector over the last four years. Blagojevich has made it so expensive for companies to operate in Illinois, that they no longer have the money and resources to create jobs, especially jobs that would actually pay a person what they are worth. Last time I checked, the only positions available are at WalMart, Target, and other major retailers. Granted, it’s a job, but not the type of quality job most state workers are looking for.
It’s just like the old Clinton saying: “it’s the economy, stupid.” However, it order to have true economic growth, there has to be growth in actual, high quality jobs. Unfortunately, the policies of this current administration have killed almost any chance of real job growth over the last four years. IL still lags far behind the nation in job growth since the recession caused by 9-11. While the rest of the nation has recouped those jobs, and their job creation continues to grow, IL STILL HAS YET TO RECOUPE ALL OF THE JOBS LOST AFTER 9-11. That’s fact.
And it appears that Blago still has no plans to encourage any significant job growth in Illinois, except for his “friends.” Worthless.
Comment by unclesam Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 10:51 pm