rainydaynews

The committee of the Illinois house which is considering the impeachment of Gov. Rod Blagojevich seems more obsessed with hearing what evidence federal prosecutors have in regards to allegations of federal corruption, then in determining how the governor may have acted in malfeasance of his duties as a representative of the state of Illinois.
While I am certain, that the effort of lawmakers is to it ascertain every possible charge that can be made against the governor before referring the matter to the full House to vote on impeachment, the people of Illinois and the United States are becoming weary of the process, which seems to be dragging on and on.
Though there is no doubt, lawmakers would prefer to charge the governor with every thing he is guilty of. There is no question that there is sufficient evidence based on court decisions already made to show that the governor has acted contrary to the will of the general assembly and the laws of the state of Illinois.
While many Illinois and look forward to the day. When Patrick Fitzgerald will charge and convict the governor on the federal corruption charges, many of us simply would like to see the man removed from office before he can do any additional damage to the state of Illinois. At a time when Illinois should be proud, and in the national spotlight as the home of the President-elect, we are instead embroiled in the mess with this man who cannot understand that be elected governor does not mean he makes the law in Illinois exclusively.
Even for a political junkie, tireless semantics of the Illinois General Assembly have gotten old. The simple truth is that Illinois politicians are still trying to make political hay out of the federal investigation rather than taking the bold step of actually charging the man with his failure to serve the people of Illinois. I’m certain part of this failure lies in the fact that the governor is an old-boy, Chicago politician.
Clearly, his failure to conduct state business in the state capital is at best questionable and borderline illegal. His insistence on creating a new form of welfare state, via state subsidized health care insurance for all the kids, despite the program’s lack of funding has already been deemed by an Illinois court to be illegal. If the General Assembly and federal investigators cannot agree to allow federal investigations to be part of the impeachment proceedings, it seems that the governor’s actions with the All Kids Program ought to be enough on its own merit to call for the impeachment.
Last week, I was promised by the news media and anonymous sources on the committee that the House would vote for impeachment by Thursday. Now it’s Thursday, and the sources say it might happen before the end of the week.
The simple truth is, we the people of Illinois are tired of waiting. Impeach him or not, but in the crudest parlance available it truly is time for the General Assembly to shit or get off the pot.

Former Illinois Atty. Gen. Roland Burris went to Capitol Hill today thinking that he was going to be the next Illinois senator. However, after a confrontation with Sgt. at arms and fellow Illinoisan Terrance Gainer, Burris was escorted to the office of the Sec. of the Senate where his credentials as a senator-elect were denied.
Meanwhile back at the ranch, otherwise known as Springfield, Illinois, steps are being taken to impeach the governor of Illinois that appointed Burris to the Senate seat. Speculation runs high in the state of Illinois that the governor, Rod Blagojevich, will be removed by office no later than February 4. Some Illinois lawmakers have offered statements assuring the public that the governor will be out of office before Abraham Lincoln’s 200th birthday on February 12.
Regardless of what happened in Illinois, now that Burris has made the attempt to be sworn in as senator, it is clear that there will be a long court battle in both the federal and state courts regarding his appointment to the position. Sadly, the coming court battle signifies more clearly than ever that the governor had no intention of doing what was in the best interest of the state of Illinois. When he appointed Burris to the seat, the governor said that he was doing so because Illinois had a right to be represented by two Senators for the full term of the Congress.
Clearly because of the actions of the governor, the state of Illinois will be without a junior senator for the foreseeable future. Many Illinois lawmakers have suggested that if the governor is removed from office, legislation will be passed calling for a special election to replace the junior senator. However, until the governor is removed from office, passing such legislation is pointless as it would require the governor’s signature to become law.
For the political junkie in me, this is all very interesting. It becomes a question of constitutional law versus what is right. Under the United States Constitution, when a senator cannot complete his term of office it falls on state rules to determine how this senator is replaced. Under the Illinois Constitution, the sole duty of replacing a senator for the remainder of their term falls to the governor.
So legally, Blagojevich had the right to appoint Burris to the Senate position. However, morally, his right seems circumspect. The governor stands accused of trying to use his position and ability to appoint a new senator for his personal gain. The people of Illinois and the Senators of the United States Congress are insulted by his actions and believe that he should not be allowed to hide behind the law.
What ends up happening, then, is that the people of Illinois suffer. Roland Burris likely would have made a good senator, but his service is tainted because of the way he was appointed. In his vanity and folly, the governor has managed to make sure that the state doesn’t have a junior senator for the foreseeable future and has managed to eliminate a good man as a potential candidate for the position.

Illinois lawmakers repeated over the weekend that the impeachment of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich is not an if, but when. Though members of the committee studying the governors impeachment never spoke directly about the committee proceedings, other members of the Illinois spell that General Assembly speculated that the impeachment hearings could begin as early as Thursday.
In the opinion of most of the voters of the state of Illinois, the process has already taken to long. Citizens have been suffering under the maniacal reign of the governor for several years and his battles with the speaker of the house and the remainder of the Illinois legislature are legendary.
New reporters beginning to cover Illinois state government are instructed that the best way to catch the governor is to hide in the basement of the Statehouse when he slinks between his office and the exit. The insulting manner in which he conducts Illinois politics has given a black eye to every thinking person in Illinois. It is no wonder then that people here are anticipating the impeachment process.
However, many Illinoisans are annoyed that the process has taken so long. Worse yet, the General Assembly has taken so long in the impeachment process but the dollar has been able to appoint a new senator for the state, further dividing an already volatile political landscape. At issue is the senatorial service of Roland Burris. Sadly, because Burroughs would be the only African-American serving in the United States Senate, many people have chosen to make opposition to his nomination about race instead of focusing on the person who appointed him. I do not know a single Illinoisan who objects to Roland Burris on principle. Burris has served this state well in the past.
But prior service is not enough to overcome the taint of the man who appointed him. If there is justice in the world, then once the governor is impeached, Burris will be able to run legitimately for the office.

The Minnesota Secretary of State announced late Sunday that they will probably certify Al Franken as the next senator elect from Minnesota sometime on Monday. However, there is some question whether or not the Republican governor of Minnesota will find the election certificate in time for Franken to take his place on Tuesday at the swearing-in ceremonies for the new Senate.

In addition, there is great debate over whether Franken should be allowed to take the seat while it is still contested. Former Minnesota Sen. Norm Coleman has already said he and his campaign staff that it is likely he will challenge the canvassing of the vote on Monday and the Minnesota senatorial election will end up in court.

From election night to tonight, the boatswain between the two candidates has been a matter of about 450 votes. On election night Coleman was certified the winner by 215 votes, a small enough margin that Minnesota’s automatic recount statute was in effect. Now after multiple challenges to voting, a Minnesota Supreme Court ruling regarding absentee ballots, and more recounting than we care to think about, Franken is apparently winning by about 225 votes. The Coleman campaign argues that another 650 absentee ballots, many of them from from Coleman heavy districts, remain to be counted.

So, using either the filibuster rules of the Senate, or a procedure similar to the one that is going to be used to challenge Roland Burris’ right to be sworn in as the next senator from Illinois, it is likely that Senate Republicans will challenge Franken’s right to be sworn in on Tuesday.

Personally, I view the chaos that is likely to ensue on Tuesday as evidence of the continuing problem with voting in the United States. The simple truth is that our voting procedures have been compromised. We can no longer guarantee that one man gets one vote and only one vote. In fact, it seems as though we are doing more to make sure that one man gets no votes than to promote voting in this country.

Since 2000, there has not been a single election on a national level that did not include some accusation of voter fraud or voter disenfranchisement. Neither is acceptable.

The optimist in me would like to believe that the continuing problems with voting are not part of some larger scheme, but I find it hard to believe that my country, which is capable of so many technological things, cannot figure out a simple way to make sure that the person voting is the person who should be voting and that every vote is counted in the way that the voter intended. I don’t like conspiracy theories, but it seems too rampant for it to be coincidental.

The simple truth is other countries are able to conduct voting. Some, like Australia, have mandatory voting requirements and they managed to have elections without the fiascoes that it faced American elections the last eight years. Perhaps we need to talk to our allies around the world and garner their suggestions for making the American democracy work the way the Republic was intended to work.

Illinois may soon become the most hated state in the nation if things are not resolved here by the time the new U.S. Senate is sworn in.
Governor Rod Blagojevich is pressing the issue and forcing the Senate to dust off Constitutional law manuals to try to find a way not to allow a federally indicted governor, whose federal security clearance has been revoked, to name someone to the United States Senate.
The provess is convoluted enough to make even Constitutional scholars scratch their heads. The appointee, Roland Burris, will have to present to the Sargeant-at-Arms a certificate signed by Blagojevich and Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White indicating that he is the Senator-elect.
If the certificate is presented, then some sitting Senator, probably a Democrat, will challenge Burris’ credentials when Vice President Dick Cheney, presiding over the swearing in of new Senators, asks for objects. Then, Burris will be referred to the Rules Committee of the Senate. Because he will prevented from taking the oath of office, Burris would be given priviledges to be on the Senate floor, but no desk or voting rights.
Without the certificate, Burris will simply be turned away by the Sargeant-at-Arms. White has said that he will not sign the certificate, but there is every indication that he may be required by law to do so.
The senate is hoping that the referral to the Rules Committee will be the delay until the Illinois General Assembly can take care of the impeachment proceedings here in Illinois. In theory, they may take action on the impeachment as early as Thursday. Locally, we can only hope so.
In the meantime, I am adopting the the new American Manifesto as written by Harry the Hobo Widdifield, except that I’ll be substituting Illinois for America.

Illinois, in addition to being the land of corruption, seems to increasingly be the land of “What?”

As of yesterday, the state has increased the penalty for a first drunk driving offense. The very first time someone is convicted of drunk driving, a part of his sentence is to rent a breathalyzer and have it linked to their car’s ignition system. Until they pass a breath test, the car won’t start.

Before you MADD-types jump all over me, I am not condoning or endorsing the concept of drunk driving. But, I think this lawis probably just another way to help someone’s good buddy benefit from Illinois laws. Someone, after all, must be producing and renting these machines.

The breathalyzer apparently costs $60 or so to install and then there is a monthly rental fee for the duration of the probation. Okay, again, it’s not that I object to the additional punishment. People who drive drunk need to be taught never to do it again.

On the other hand, I am much more concerned about the enforcement (and lack of it) for the law that already exists. Last summer, a friend’s little sister went out drinking with friends and then came to behind the wheel of her car after she had hit a telephone pole with it. Luckily, she did not hurt anyone, including herself, though she did total the car.

The police offier who wrote the ticket for her accident, wrote in his report that she reeked of alcohol (two hours after the bars closed), but he did not even do a breathalyzer test. She simply got a ticket for the accident.

Hello! Mr. police officer, what were you thinking?

She got away with it and didn’t hurt anyone, so do you really think she learned a lesson? I don’t. So adding more penalties for those convicted of DUI only works if you actually arrest them for the offense.

Another stupid Illinois law that went into effect yesterday prohibits employers from discriminating based on genetic information.

Okay, I understand the desire to prevent discrimination in all forms, but are employers really submitting potential hires to genetic testing? Most of the employers I know are too cheap to even conduct drug testing much less pay for an expensive genetic test for future/potential employees.

Clearly, I missed something here.

Anyway, that’s my rant today…Illinois should try enforcing the laws it has instead of making more.

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!

Appointing Roland Burris as the next Senator of Illinois was the most selfish thing Governor Rod Blagojevich could have done, so it should come as no surprise that he did it.
As a former Illinois attorney general and comptroller, Roland Burris was a standout politician. He was a trailblazer, the first African-American elected to statewide office. It happened in the ancient history of 1991.
That’s right, the state that is home to the first African-American elected to the White House did not elect one to statewide office until 1991. Burris served four years as comptroller and then four years as attorney general. He has run for governor three times since then unsuccessfully including a primary run against Rod Blagojevich six years ago.
As a fervent supporter of the Illinois Democratic Party, Burris has contributed about $3,000 to Rod’s campaign funds over the years, but hasn’t had any close ties to the governor. He is, by the assessment of most Illinoisans, a decent public servant.
That is why it is so awful to have his name sullied by being nominated to the Senate at this time. I’m sure that old Rod thought he was pulling a fast one. By appointing someone not tied to his federal corruption charges, Rod clearly thought he would make himself seem less corrupt.
By not naming one of the candidates alleged to have been part of the corruption investigation, Blagojevich and his lawyer will likely claim that the appointment of a scandal free politician is additional evidence that the governor never had any ill intentions.
BS!
I think everyone with eyes can see that the governor is attempting to use Burris to give himself more credibility. Under any other circumstances, I would support the appointment of Roland Burris. He is an intelligent man with the best interest of the people of Illinois at heart.
Unfortunately, I’m afraid the quality of the appointment might lead some to believe it’s all right for Governor Blagojevich to name the next Illinois senator. The governor makes the argument that the people of Illinois deserve to have two Senators from the beginning of the legislative session and not be forced to wait until the state can hold a special election.
Again, BS!
The governor has absolutely no concern about the people of the state of Illinois and what we deserve. If he cared at all, he would have found a way to work with his fellow Democrats to pay the state’s bills and take care of the basic needs of the state, without closing historical sites and cutting social services. He would know that the safety of Illinois prison guards is more important than his perceived insult from the guards at the Pontiac Correctional Center (which almost shot his helicopter down more than a year ago when he failed to notify them he was coming there).
And, he would know that a disgraced, indicted governor does more harm to Illinois than could ever be levied by virtue of waiting for an election for our new Senator..

According to the weather man, we are about to be hit with a winter storm bringing the potential for power outages and heavy ice.

No, that’s not the good news.

The good news is that I am lucky enough to live in a really great neighborhood. This morning, the gentleman who coordinates neighborhood events sent out a note mentioning the coming storm and asking for neighbors to discuss what resources are available in the neighborhood in the event of a weather emergency.

He mentioned he had a chainsaw for downed tree limbs and such and that another neighbor had a four-wheel drive pickup truck. He also mentioned that if anyone else wanted to let their resources be known, to send an email to the list.

Just a few minutes ago, we got another note from another set of neighbors pointing out that they too had a truck for getting around in the bad weather. Even more moving, a neighbor about three blocks away said they have solar electricty, geo-thermal heating and a wood stove, with plenty of floor space if the power goes out and people need a place where there is heat.

In a state now well known for its political corruption, it’s nice to see that some people who live here are not the all like the governor.

As more and more information becomes available about the arrest on Tuesday of the Illinois governor, it becomes clear that many people knew what they were doing was wrong and have decided to cooperate in the investigation or resign.

The governor needs to do the same.

But in the meantime, it’s fun to watch the fallout. One of the presumptive potential candidates for the Senate seat was Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan. There is no discussion in the affadavit of just cause about the potential to appoint Madigan to the senate other than a brief mention of various candidates. Attorney General Madigan has been above reproach in her job as AG and the reason the governor might want to appoint her would be to win favor with her father.

Madigan’s father, Mike Madigan, is a Chicago Democrat and long-time speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives. Speaker Madigan has been a thorn in the governor’s side almost since the day he was elected, prompting many to speculate that the problems between the two were part of a good old fashioned Chicago turf war.

Regardless, the governor has argued with Speaker Madigan time and again about his duties as governor, the responsible management of the state and the Illinois Constitution, prompting the speaker to remind the governor that Speaker Madigan helped write the 1970 Constitution.

So, there is speculation that the governor considered appointing the Speaker’s daughter to the seat in hopes of getting some goodwill from the Speaker. Fat chance, Rod. They don’t call Speaker Madigan the Velvet Hammer for nothing. He gets what he wants and those who cross him don’t.

The Speaker has been considerably restrained in the last two days, allowing the Republicans to sponsor the bill forming an impeachment committee. All he did was call the special session of the House. Will your buddy Senate President Emil Jones call a special session of the Senate to hear the charges? Oh, I bet he will.

And, Attorney General Madigan, I think she was righteously pissed to see her name sullied simply by the innuendo that she was one of the candidates you were considering. Whatever their faults, the Madigan family has never shirked doing what is necessary for the people of Illinois.

Maybe that’s why Lisa told CNN today that she’d give the General Assembly a little time to handle this and then she would take it to court. It looks to me like she’s giving her Dad a chance to get his revenge and still making sure the people of the state get rid of Rod.