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Perfection and politics

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Illinois

It was impossible to concentrate on politics Thursday while White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle pursued a perfect game.

Did I say concentrate? Strike that. I couldn’t even bother to think about politics.

Discouraging unemployment numbers, a nasty state budget deficit requiring big cuts to social services, education and college scholarship programs, a General Assembly that can’t ever seem to get the job done. For a few, glorious moments, all of that faded away while Buehrle successfully chased ultimate perfection.

Thanks, Mark.

And thanks, DeWayne Wise for making that spectacular clutch catch to save Buehrle’s perfect outing.

Thanks, Ozzie Guillen, for, um, wisely putting Wise into the game in the ninth inning.

And thanks, Josh Fields, for that grand slam.

I’m not silly enough to write a column suggesting that politicians should act more like great baseball teams.

Baseball players and politicians come from totally different universes. Players are chosen for individual abilities and how they mesh with a coach’s system and with other players. Politicians are picked individually by voters who often know little about them and are then thrown into a system where they are expected to get along with other politicians with whom they have almost nothing in common except ambition.

Imagine that you could divide a group of 177 Sox fans, Cub fans and Cardinals fans into two rooms. Then, give them the task of agreeing among themselves and then between the two rooms on who was the best first baseman of all time.

It could take a while.

Maybe forever.

The Illinois General Assembly is a little like that. There are 118 House members and 59 senators from two political parties who are elected by vastly divergent regions — Chicago, the suburbs and Downstate. The differences are stark even within those regions. Think Englewood and Lincoln Park. Or Wheaton and Waukegan. Or Galena and Decatur.

Unlike baseball fans, politicians are always supposed to work toward what’s best for their state. But all of those regions and their myriad sub-regions have vastly different ideas of what’s really best for Illinois.

Political parties tend to hold legislators together around a central theme, but that’s not always the case, either. Southern Illinois Democrats are often far more socially conservative than suburban Republicans, for example. There are probably as many pro-life Chicago Democratic legislators as there are pro-choice suburban Republican legislators.

The two chambers also have different ideas about what to do. There is always tension between the House and the Senate, no matter who is running things.

Frankly, it’s a wonder anything ever gets done.

Somehow, though, the General Assembly managed for almost 200 years. Nothing was perfect, but they seemed to at least finish the job.

Then, along came Rod Blagojevich, that notorious Cub fan, and everything went to hell.

Everybody stopped working together and began working against each other — until it came time to rid the state of the corrupt doofus, at which point they all united for one brief, shining moment to banish him to Sunday talk radio.

The extraordinary mess Blagojevich left behind and the concurrent international economic collapse combined to create problems more daunting than our state Legislature has faced since the Great Depression.

But instead of rising to the occasion, legislators bickered, pointed fingers, hid behind their party leaders and bemoaned their horrible political predicament all year, then ran home, tossing billions in new debt, horrible program cuts and an unthinkable (and probably unconstitutional) budget deficit at our overwhelmed mid-season replacement governor, Pat Quinn.

Our politics have become almost perfectly ugly and cowardly.

If it were not for small miracles like Mark Buehrle, I’d probably tear my hair out.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Jul 24, 09 @ 8:40 am

Comments

== Imagine that you could divide a group of 177 Sox fans, Cub fans and Cardinals fans into two rooms ==

Great analogy!

Comment by Anonymous Coward Friday, Jul 24, 09 @ 8:45 am
The answer, by the way, is Albert Pujols.

Comment by Old Shepherd Friday, Jul 24, 09 @ 8:47 am
Beautifully stated.. nicely done. Enjoy the after glow, yesterday was a great day regardless which team you follow. Got to give it up for the significance of the event.

Comment by Inish Friday, Jul 24, 09 @ 8:48 am
Could Rod now be the random, angry fan who wildly charges the field and punches unsuspecting umpires and coaches in the head?

Comment by Anon Friday, Jul 24, 09 @ 8:50 am
So is the question to ponder who will be Illinois’ Mark Buehrle? At this point I will take a strong 9th inning to pull ahead…..

Comment by Inish Friday, Jul 24, 09 @ 8:51 am
===Did I say concentrate? Strike that. I couldn’t even bother to think about politics.===
I got so caught up in it I forgot to return a couple of important phone calls. I am pretty sure one of them is a Sox fan so he probably understands. The other I hope is at least a baseball fan.

Comment by Been There Friday, Jul 24, 09 @ 8:51 am
“Vote me into the Assembly,
Put me under the Dome.
Give me a career that pays a lot,
I don’t care if I stay til I rot,
Let me root, root, root for my Party,
If they’re wrong, I don’t care.
For it’s so damn fun to watch Rich Miller,
Yanking out all his hair!”

Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Jul 24, 09 @ 8:53 am
If we are making comparisons to baseball Il. gov. is bush league!!!

Comment by NIEVA Friday, Jul 24, 09 @ 8:56 am
Old Shepard, thebaseballpage.com only ranks Pujols at 25th. It even has our Jim Thome ranked above him. Hard to argue with Lou Gehrig being number one.
http://www.thebaseballpage.com/positions/rankings/1B.php

Comment by Been There Friday, Jul 24, 09 @ 8:57 am
“Hurly Buehrle” indeed. I’m not one to “hate” any team - lets save that for a worthy cause. Now, if I’m Ozzie, I’m thinking Wise helped make me look like a genius, and if I’m Buehrle, I’m thinking - “DUDE”!! If I’m Wise (and I’ve been told countless times I’m not even close), I’m wondering what gifts might be coming my way soon.
Well deserved, by the way.

Comment by You Go Boy Friday, Jul 24, 09 @ 8:57 am
Buehrle is the greatest Sox player, ever. Besides these no-hitters he saves Sox fans about one half hour of time when he pitches. Thats about 150 hours over a 10 year career. Thanks Mark Buehrle for what you have done for Sox fans.

Comment by overcooked Friday, Jul 24, 09 @ 8:57 am
Facing some difficult issues with my employment, I went to a local ball game last night. Tho it was not a game comparable to yesterday’s Sox game, it was a great escape to a simpler life.
Well put, Rich!

Comment by Not a Cub Fan Friday, Jul 24, 09 @ 8:59 am
great column. really does put things into perspective. zero concentration except on that game. we need heros to get us out of our government mess.

Comment by Amy Friday, Jul 24, 09 @ 9:02 am
“In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act.”
- George Orwell

Comment by Wacker Drive Friday, Jul 24, 09 @ 9:03 am
OK, I’ll agree that no one will de-throne Lou Gehrig. But as far as second place, Pujol’s career ain’t over yet!

Comment by Old Shepherd Friday, Jul 24, 09 @ 9:07 am
As former Governor Thompson aptly put, “Politics is adult sports.” Unfortunately, the real life consequences of inept play can be deadly for citizens. Perhaps we should return to a custom of the Roman Coliseum and after each legislative session, instead of elections, we have the citizens statewide give a thumps up or thumps down in unison. We then extinguish the entire group of legislative careers and start over anew.

Comment by Louis Howe Friday, Jul 24, 09 @ 9:13 am
It’s a pleasure to read an analysis that doesn’t rely on the simplistic crutch of Democrats vs. Republicans.

The regional, economic and cultural tensions that exist within the state are present in each party’s caucus, as well. On the Dem side, you can throw in a racial dynamic as well.

In recent years, the GA Dems have been pretty successful in piecing together their caucus to build a majority, not so much under any unifying themes, but by stacking building blocks of interests.

The GOP, on the other hand, for many years has been content to wage an internal Auto De Fe in the name of deological purity.

The problem with both approaches is that there’s not a statewide vision. It takes a strong governor, like Thompson or Edgar, to crack heads in both parties around the state to make that happen.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Jul 24, 09 @ 9:16 am
Brilliant column.

Comment by Yellow Dog Friday, Jul 24, 09 @ 9:17 am
Nice column Rich!

Question who was the guy with Jesse White?
I still think it’s your Dad.

Excellent Sox game last night! Fantastic pitching Mark Buehrle! Tied for first and now onto the Tigers! Go Sox Go!

Also a big Thanks to Obamama for landing Air Force One at O’Hare on the Northside!
It helped people get to the Sox game on time by him not landing at Midway on the Southside!

As far as Northsiders and their traffic nightmare, cough, cough so sorry.

Comment by Third Generation Chicago Native Friday, Jul 24, 09 @ 9:19 am
Rich,

Instead of pulling your hair out in a “fit of madness,” why not go all “Brittney” and just shave your head? A lot less painful… and much quicker.

However, you cannot shave the beard. I know you’re competing in the “most interesting man in Illinois” contest… and the beard is required.

Comment by unclesam Friday, Jul 24, 09 @ 9:23 am
Great column!

=== all united for one brief, shining moment to banish him to Sunday talk radio. === LOL

Unfortunetly the system of paperwork and financing laws you have to be able to navigate to run for office means most people are locked out of running for office. it would be a nice shakepup to see strong tunrout of new potential canidates.

Comment by Ghost Friday, Jul 24, 09 @ 9:28 am
–Buehrle is the greatest Sox player, ever.–

Overcooked, you’re still buzzin’ from yesterday. Buehrle still has a ways to go before he can claim the title. For example, he’s still 127 wins shy of Ted Lyon’s Sox career wins record.

You might want to check out Frank Thomas’s career numbers, too. And no juice for him.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Jul 24, 09 @ 9:29 am
excellent column. Based upon the picture of you that is run in the Hancock County Journal-Pilot you would look better w/ you hair pulled (I think it’s from your 8th grade graduation)

Comment by Abe's Ghost Friday, Jul 24, 09 @ 9:45 am
There he goes again, lumping “downstate” as one region. Please know that “downstate” Southern Illinois is vastly different than “downstate” Northern Illinois and “downstate” Peoria and “downstate” Springfield and…well, you get the picture. I hope.

BTW, way to go Burls…fantastic!!!!

Comment by Deep South Friday, Jul 24, 09 @ 10:09 am
Wordslinger, Okay, Ted Lyons only took 67 minutes to throw his no hitter in 1926, but in these times average games last 3 hours and only Buehrle averages 2.5. The time saved alone puts him near the top, his achievements including playoff and World Series success determine my vote for greatest. Ted Lyons never got that far.

Comment by overcooked Friday, Jul 24, 09 @ 10:20 am
The legislature has nothing to celebrate now - but Sox fans do, at least for one day.

Buerhle himself admitted after his last no-hitter, the team blew their next three games. Perhaps too much patting each other on the backs and looking back to that wonderful game.

Let’s hope the Sox do better in today’s doubleheader against their first place tie opponent, the Detroit Tigers.

And let’s hope the legislature has something to celebrate come the Veto Session or early January.

Comment by Capitol View Friday, Jul 24, 09 @ 10:24 am
Let us not forget that the legislature surely enabled the previous Governor’s mess, as well. They shrink from responsibility and have offered nothing in return for seven years. We don’t pay them to be “fans”, we pay them to be professionals in the environment to which they aspire to hold office. They are elected by their constituents but they are paid by all of us, and therefore have some responsibility to the state as a whole. It is part of the job they have chosen and hiding behind strictly district concerns is at best unprofessional, and at worst cowardly.

Comment by Captain Flume Friday, Jul 24, 09 @ 10:26 am
Deep South: I’m pretty sure Rich is aware of the differences we have down here. You have to remember the majority of people buying the Sun-Times think anything south of I-80 is “south”, and you and I (and Rich!!) know that ain’t true by a long shot!

Comment by Lynn S Friday, Jul 24, 09 @ 10:29 am
Deep South, what are you talking about? I specifically wrote in that column that regions vary widely.

Those who are always searching for an insult will always see one.

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Jul 24, 09 @ 10:29 am
I’m sensitive.

Comment by Deep South Friday, Jul 24, 09 @ 10:30 am
Excellent column this week Rich. I hope the Sun-Times pays you well for it!

Comment by Louis G. Atsaves Friday, Jul 24, 09 @ 10:36 am
–Wordslinger, Okay, Ted Lyons only took 67 minutes to throw his no hitter in 1926, but in these times average games last 3 hours and only Buehrle averages 2.5. The time saved alone puts him near the top, –

Time saved? What is this, Beat the Clock?

The great mystic appeal of baseball is that it’s the only major sport that isn’t governed by a clock. Whiling away a summer afternoon at the ballpark, the last thing I think about is time. Baseball in all ways is timeless.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Jul 24, 09 @ 10:41 am
===I hope the Sun-Times pays you well for it! ===

LOL

Define “well.”

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Jul 24, 09 @ 10:41 am
==I hope the Sun-Times pays you well for it!==
roflmao.

Great column about a great game. I saw both no-nos. That has got to be a record of some kind. Yesterday was a lot warmer. Melton said yesterday was the first he had ever seen.

Comment by Bill Friday, Jul 24, 09 @ 11:02 am
= Then, along came Rod Blagojevich, that notorious Cub fan, and everything went to hell.=

Enough said. Give a Cub fan anything and all hell breaks loose. It’s in their nature to destroy the common good.

Comment by CLJ Friday, Jul 24, 09 @ 11:08 am
Pitch perfect, pun wholly intended. Also includes a dis on Cubs fans, which always enhances anything. Believing the Cubs can ever win anything meaningful betrays a profound lack of judgment. It’s like believing in unicorns.

Comment by Ramsin Friday, Jul 24, 09 @ 11:19 am
“Well” as in stock options?

Comment by Louis G. Atsaves Friday, Jul 24, 09 @ 11:28 am
Great column!

Comment by curious Friday, Jul 24, 09 @ 11:36 am
==If we are making comparisons to baseball Il. gov. is bush league!!! ==

The legislature is more like one of those little kids’ leagues where your own coach pitches the ball to you.

Comment by Anon Friday, Jul 24, 09 @ 11:45 am
=== Those who are always searching for an insult will always see one. ====

Feeling a little zen today?

Comment by Ghost Friday, Jul 24, 09 @ 12:26 pm