rainydaynews

After living in Illinois for almost two decades, I have become very accustomed to the concept of political corruption, but the last few years have been beyond insane. With Democrats controlling all branches of state government (largely in response to Republican scandals), the state has been a fiscal nightmare.
In 2007, when the state fiscal year ended June 30, there was no new budget. It was late August before the General Assembly approved a budget and they are stilla rguing about the implementation of it (though it expired in June, 2008). The governor has already received an Illinois court ruling telling him that he cannot force the state to pay for a child health insurance program that he instituted after the funding for the program was denied by the Geneal Assembly.
One local politician classified the discord at the state level as a Chicago block fight between the Speaker of the House, President of the Senate and the Governor. In it all, the citizens of Illinois lost.
The governor refused to live in the state capital, or the governor’s mansion, instead forcing taxpayers to fund his trips between Springfield and Chicago. He further alienated all of downstate Illinois and all the people of Illinois lost.
Now, the governor maybe (okay, I’m thinking definitely) was trying to sell our Senate seat and then nominated Roland Burris to fill it. Burris would be a good Senator, but should never be associated with Blagojevich. Again, the people of Illinois lose.
Personally, I’m hoping to get out of this tainted place and move to some place where the politicians are at least better at hiding their corruption. But in the meantime, I’d really like Illinois to consider the old adage and throw the bums out!

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