Latest Post | Last 10 Posts | Archives
Previous Post: Connecting the dots on Mrs. Blagojevich’s clout *** UPDATED x1 ***
Next Post: Blowout or overblown? *** UPDATED x1 ***
Posted in:
* The toxicity of Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s reign just claimed another victim. Democratic congressional candidate and Senate Majority Leader Debbie Halvorson was passed over for endorsement by the Chicago Sun-Times today…
As for Ozinga’s opponent, Halvorson can claim some legislative accomplishments in Springfield, and we admire her work ethic. Unfortunately, given her leadership position in the state Senate, she also bears some blame for the quagmire in Springfield, as much as she’d like to distance herself from it.
* As you already know, both Halvorson and Republican Marty Ozinga have attempted to tie each other to Blagojevich…
Halvorson rose to majority leader in the state Senate, and Ozinga sees that as a liability — she was too close and too obedient to state Senate President Emil Jones and Gov. Blagojevich, [Ozinga] says. […]
Halvorson said she finds it ironic that Ozinga tries to tie her to Blagojevich when Ozinga gave tens of thousands of dollars to Blagojevich’s campaign.
…ADDING… Progress Illinois’ new poll has these favorable/unfavorable ratings for Gov. Blagojevich in the Halvorson/Ozinga 11th CD…
Blagojevich
Favorable: 10%
Unfavorable: 74%
Neutral: 11%
…ALSO…. PI’s poll in Mark Kirk’s district has these Blagojevich numbers…
Blagojevich
Favorable: 10%
Unfavorable: 74%
Neutral: 11%
* Illinois Republicans, faced with the prospect of a Barack Obama blowout, have stuck to a simple game plan: Tie all Democrats to Rod. The Democrats are trying to do the same to their Republican opponents, with varying degrees of success..
From the suburbs to Southern Illinois, Republicans and Democrats alike campaign against him, trying to tie their opponents to the governor in mailers and ads. […]
“Who wants to be associated with him?” said veteran Illinois political watcher Paul Green, Roosevelt University’s School of Policy Studies director. “He’s poison.”
* The State Journal-Register wrings its hands on the governor’s inability to govern, but offers up no really solid ideas…
It’s hard to see how he suddenly becomes an effective chief executive flush with political capital to burn.
This situation is more than fodder for a bull session among political junkies. At a time of economic peril, Illinois needs strong leadership.
* The Daily Illini comes more to the point…
With an approval rating like that and the feds breathing down your neck, how does one govern?
Well, you don’t.
* And while reporters for its own paper lay out in detail how poison Blagojevich is right now to the body politic…
“It would be the kiss of death for him to send a campaign contribution, even if someone turned around and sent it right back,” said Kent Redfield, a political scientist at the University of Illinois’ Springfield campus who tracks Illinois politics and campaign spending.
…the Daily Herald editorial page insists that Blagojevich will somehow control the constitutional convention delegate election…
We’re certain Governor Rod Blagojevich’s political machine also would be involved.
Yeah. OK.
* As an aside, the Daily Herald also brings up this impossible dream…
It’s hard to vote the rascals out of office when the only real contest is during the primary and challengers fail to surface.
To change this, other states have turned to computer models and rules that prohibit using election results or the address of incumbents. Term limits also would guarantee new blood. These are some options that might be worth considering.
But we don’t need a convention to make this difficult fix. We have the amendment process.
Not mentioned is that such a proposed amendment would have to receive a three-fifths super-majority in both legislative chambers. Not gonna happen.
* Related…
* Hoping for the best, planning for the worst
* Restore funds for mental health, substance abuse, protesters say (Video)
* Supporters push con-con
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Oct 20, 08 @ 9:20 am
Sorry, comments are closed at this time.
Previous Post: Connecting the dots on Mrs. Blagojevich’s clout *** UPDATED x1 ***
Next Post: Blowout or overblown? *** UPDATED x1 ***
WordPress Mobile Edition available at alexking.org.
powered by WordPress.
The Daily Herald is totally mistaken. At this point, the Rod Blagojevich political machine is just a figment of the paper’s vivid imagination. By next spring, which would be the earliest that the election for Con-Con Delegates could take place, Gov. Sleazy will likely be under indicted and may well be Impeached.
Comment by fedup dem Monday, Oct 20, 08 @ 9:40 am
So Obama is linking McCain to Bush and IL Dems are linking all D’s to Blago. This is not rocket science!
If I put my tinfoil derby on, could one make wild assumptions that Madigan’s constant fighting (hug not included) is helping his daughter’s potential run for gov? Why try to stop it?
Comment by Wumpus Monday, Oct 20, 08 @ 9:44 am
==Blagojevich will somehow control==
What a brain-dead statement! Somehow? You bet somehow, because Blagojevich can’t control anything anymore. That is why he is dead in the water, as is Illinois.
I’m getting a little tired of the circular logic being used by the anti-con-con regarding the possible constitutional convention. The are to the point of declaring that Illinois is too corrupt to have a constitutional convention.
I am reading and hearing that the reason we cannot reform our state is because those in charge of reform are too corrupt even when we go outside the current power structure in Illinois for a constitutional convention.
Talk about a pessimistic attitude! Talk about a bunch of losers!
Have we reached a point where citizens would rather complain than act? Has Blagojevich made finger pointing such a high art and his lack of reform such a farse that citizens have decided that reform cannot happen at all?
Perhaps the worse thing that Blagojevich did was deliberately fail to reform our government. He was mandated to do this, and he let us all down. Perhaps we are seeing citizens believing that reform just cannot happen.
The reason we need a constitutional convention is because of the corruption within the current power structure. The reason we need a constitutional convention is because of the unwillingness of the General Assembly or the Governor to reform our state.
If you believe we are now too corrupt for reform, you are writing us all off. Now is the time for action, not finger pointing or justification for inaction.
Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Oct 20, 08 @ 9:44 am
It’s an obvious point, but Ozinga’s ties to Blago seem a lot worse, given that Ozinga’s supposed to be a Republican.
I don’t think many Republicans take a lot of comfort in an endorsement by the in-the-tank-for-Obama Sun-Times.
Ozinga should say thanks but no thanks.
Comment by GOP'er Monday, Oct 20, 08 @ 9:45 am
===Talk about a bunch of losers!===
We’ll see who the losers are on Nov. 4. I’d hold off on your petitions for a while.
Comment by Bill Monday, Oct 20, 08 @ 9:51 am
Some new folks on the Daily Herald editorial board? Odd statements.
Comment by wordslinger Monday, Oct 20, 08 @ 10:12 am
I am trying figure who the 10% of people who view the Gov favorably are.
My guess is about 4% to 5% are people who really appreciate the kid care and wouldn’t care what Blago does as long as this coverage doesn’t go away. Some additional support, about 3%, comes from the black community which thinks he is in Jones’s pocket and therefore under control. 1% more from people who like open road tolling and the cleaner Oasis washrooms.
There ya go.
Comment by Phineas J. Whoopee Monday, Oct 20, 08 @ 10:26 am
Instead of effectively being a lame duck, I think it would be more appropriate to characterize the Governor as a “dead duck” in terms of his ability to govern effectively the next two years. I know,I’m mixing metaphors, but his goose is cooked, especially since Godfather Jones is retiring.
Pinocchio has few friends and no political machine, so its hard to figure out anything except maybe that the Daily Herald editorial staff has no idea what it’s writing about in this particular case.
Comment by Captain America Monday, Oct 20, 08 @ 11:09 am
Each story reveals what is hoped to be the ’smoking gun’ which will doom the Gov. So far he has defied all odds.
It seems to me that there is too much irrational enthusiasm each time a tidbit appears.
The real information is in the hands of the US Atty. I hope he get the opportunity to finish his work on the Gov. and the Combine.
Comment by Plutocrat03 Monday, Oct 20, 08 @ 11:38 am
I’m tired of the bilge and misinformation that con-con opponents are pushing. So much so that I’ve gone from leaning towards voting against con-con to deciding to vote for it.
Comment by Angry Chicagoan Monday, Oct 20, 08 @ 12:15 pm
Now if only someone could get the results of this poll through the heads of the leadership of the Mc Lean County Democrats ! They still ” cling ” to Blago in hopes of a Capital Construction bill. Pathetic !
Comment by bluedog demo Monday, Oct 20, 08 @ 12:21 pm
Bluedog -
Whether the poll shows 90%, 10% or 1% favorable, the governor still controls the agencies that would administer any capital program, so it is understandable that, regardless of their personal opinion, people still need to try to establish some kind of working relationship here. Unless a con-con restructures the executive branch’s duties (not likely) it’s going to be this way for the foreseeable future. Whether the executive’s demeanor or identity changes we’ll just have to wait and see.
Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Monday, Oct 20, 08 @ 4:20 pm