Corruption

Yes Everett Dirksen is long dead. 

So is Reagan.

And the GOP is like the Old Grey Mare who is not only "aint what she used to be".  That decrepit old nag has become such a problem to care for that a call for the vet and the backhoe to put her out of our misery seems not only the humane thing to do but necessary for the protection of the last vestiges of remaining sanity among the survivors.

The Illinois GOP is the people who gave us Barack Obama.  Ray LaHood was rewarded well for his role.

It's bad enough to watch the numbskulls at the local level here in Champaign County gradually disinfranchising the base with arrogant stupidity.

This report from Will County points out how the desperate situation continues in Illinois.

Major uproar at Will County GOP Convention
http://www.championnews.net/article.php?sid=2400
 
Positive change needed after Will County GOP Convention fiasco
http://www.championnews.net/article.php?sid=2401
 
Poll: Should Will County GOP's Kavanagh resign?
http://www.examiner.com/x-17412-Macon-County-Conservative-Examiner~y2010m3d6-Poll-Should-Will-County-GOPs-Kavanagh-resign
 

This is not the standard bearer I would prefer for our party.

According to the report, McKenna “failed to avoid the actual and apparent conflict of interest that arose when The Tarrance Group poll including his name was ordered under his authority as Chairman. …

“Nor did Andrew McKenna at any point disclose to the Illinois Republican State Central Committee the fact that his name was to appear in the poll or that information in the poll could benefit him personally. The … Committee’s Code of Ethics forbids special benefits relating in any manner to their position with the Illinois Republican Party. Thus, Andrew McKenna compounded one ethical misstep with another.”

The ethics report also indicates that McKenna lied about the poll, both to the State Central Commitee and others.  This is a charge that DuPage County State's Attorney Joe Birkett leveled over the weekend.

More thoughts on McKenna tomorrow.

(Disclosure: I'm working with the Kirk Dillard for Governor campaign.)

I can argue all sorts of reasons why Dan Hynes is a better candidate than our current governor, but I imagine any readers here can check out the candidates' policies on their pages and history themselves for such a determination pretty quick. I'd just like to add to that consideration, especially those leaning towards or on the fence about Quinn, something that honestly should not be forgotten.

Our last election led to Illinois being center stage of a national embarrassment. This was not some unexpected shocker given that the guy who won the last Democratic Party primary was already under state and federal investigation with several corrupt acts in the public domain. And while Quinn personally vouched for the integrity and honesty of that man, and would love to get away with playing dumb now... don't let him.

I'll let the guy who ran the anti-corruption campaign against Blagojevich in that primary explain why people like Quinn simply do not deserve re-election in the State of Illinois let alone any position of trust over Illinois citizens (in its entirety here):

In 2006 I challenged Rod Blagojevich in the Democratic primary for governor. I ran because Blagojevich sold out the public for piles of campaign cash.

 

I said “no” to Blagojevich when it mattered.

 

A very savvy pol recently said to me, “Ed, if we only knew then what we know now.” I replied that we did know it then. He laughed and admitted it was so. That’s a far more grown up response than the “I-knew-it-was-bad-but not-this-bad” dodge that’s in vogue.

 

They all knew. The majority of the House impeachment report cited documents that were public before the election — the same documents I cited when arguing the governor should not be re-elected. Instead of standing with me at the time, the party leaders poured over my petitions to see if they could keep me off the ballot.

 

The governor had spent his first term raking in campaign cash at the astonishing rate of $2,667 per hour, giving him millions to spend on re-election. (I won’t here revisit how he raised this cash, who is already jailed because of it, or what services the people of Illinois were cheated out of to secure these gifts.)

 

Nearly all of the state’s Democratic politicians calculated, correctly but shortsightedly, that rallying around the governor would ensure their re-election. Voters count on their leaders to stand up when it matters. Voters also deserve choices. With the 2006 election looming, Democrats could look forward to neither.

 

...

 

I ran a tough but underfunded campaign and came up short. Still, by the time the election came I had a lot more company than I did at the beginning. A handful of Democratic politicians began to distance themselves from the governor. A few were quite helpful. Many others publicly worked for the governor’s re-election but privately wished me well. Several editorial boards endorsed my campaign. More than a quarter of a million ordinary Democrats voted for me and I carried a handful of counties.

 

On election night 2006 I talked about our values and the better angels of the Democratic Party. I said we would ultimately prevail and clean up our state. A reporter followed up asking me if that was a concession. I certainly was conceding the night. But I never would, and never will, concede the fight to change the poisonous culture of corruption in Illinois.

 

Edwin Eisendrath challenged Rod Blagojevich in the 2006 Democratic Primary. Eisendrath served as HUD regional administrator in the Clinton administration and two terms as a Chicago alderman.

Quinn played a central role in ensuring Blagojevich's re-election. He threw away his reputation and dignity. The choice is simple: hold Blagojevich's enablers responsible this election season, or send them a clear message that voters no longer care about accountability.

I'm voting for accountability. I'm voting for Dan Hynes on February 2nd.

From N-G:

At the same time, we urge the campus and university administration to continue to impress upon the leadership of the Illinois Board of Higher Education, our state legislators, and Governor Quinn, the critical need for the state to generate adequate revenue to pay for the professional services we and other public employees across the state continue to provide.

How about instead:

At the same time, we urge the campus and university administration to continue to impress upon the leadership of the Illinois Board of Higher Education, our state legislators, and Governor Quinn, the critical need for the state to implement a business friendly climate to attract jobs that would generate adequate revenue to pay for the professional services we and other public employees across the state continue to provide.

In Illinois we exist to serve the government.   In places like Indiana, the government exists to serve the people.   Listening to big government types with a mypopic focus on revenue has been consistent since the dems were hiking business fees, spending without constraint, proposing gross receipts taxes, launching new programs they didn't have the money for, and now proposing taxes that target (guess who)....investors.

While Frerichs and Naomi are non-existent in any discussion to address the problems their backers created, let's take a moment to appreciate what could have happened if Illinois would have positioned itself to attract business.

Start by comparing the State of Illinois economic development website for businesses to the State of Indiana economic development website. 

As you connect the links, you'll notice that the State of Indiana had a balanced budget in early 2009.   You'll quickly appreciate the benefits of having a governor with common business sense can bring to a state.   While we appreciate the benefit of having Chicago liberals drive our state into the ground, take another moment to listen to message from Mitch Daniels from Indiana:

(Click here to download audio file)

Here are some highlights from the Indiana economic development page.

Climate that Cultivates Success

Your business isn’t going to thrive just anywhere. You need to find a climate that cultivates success, and that means favorable business costs, shovel-ready sites and a skilled workforce.  Indiana has the business environment you need to branch out and the industry initiatives designed to stimulate growth, innovation and profits. Discover what some of the most successful companies in the world have found out about Indiana’s pro-business environment.

Right Taxes and Incentives

We know that businesses want to keep their costs low. That’s why Indiana has a tax structure that’s extremely competitive. Indiana also boasts the lowest workers compensation rates in the Midwest and among the very lowest in the country. And our costs for industrial electricity are the second lowest in the nation. On top of that, Indiana has great economic incentives to help your business grow. Find out more about our incentives and low costs of doing business.

You Can Get There From Here

Known as the “Crossroads of America,” Indiana sees more interstate highway commerce than any other state. With three international airports and the second-largest FedEx hub in the world, we’re also host to our fair share of air traffic. With an equally robust rail system and three marine ports on Lake Michigan and the Ohio River, it’s safe to say that no matter where your business goes, you can definitely get there from here. Find out more about why we’re the perfect place for business.

Workforce to Be Reckoned With

Indiana has the right people on the ground to accomplish your business objectives. With over 70 colleges and universities, our new graduates have the knowledge and expertise you’re looking for.  Add to that our best-in-the-nation status for manufacturing productivity, and you’ve truly got a workforce to be reckoned with. See how Indiana works for you.

The Illinois Fair Map Amendment is an opportunity for individuals on both sides of the political aisle to benefit from a more democratic solution when determining political districts.   While we look to springfield with a sense of helplessness, there is something that we can do to make a difference.   Let's work together and get the 500,000 signatures necessary to get on the ballot.  

For the last three decades, legislators have created their own districts after drawing a name out of a hat!

Illinois is the ONLY state in the nation that allows this magic trick to determine such an important issue.

We need your help to change this process and take it from the legislators and put it in the hands of an independent commission in order to make redistricting more transparent, fair, and accessible to the public.

In order to do this, we need to collect 500,000 signatures in Illinois by April 1, 2010!

How you can help:

• Download Petiton Forms
• Organize a Petition Party in your community
• Invite an organizer to your community event

Resources:

• Nuts and Bolts of this Citizens’ Initiative
• Current System vs. IL Fair Map
• Read the IL Fair Map Amendment
• View a PowerPoint Presentation about the Fair Map Amendment

 Become a fan of this effort on Facebook.   Also on Twitter.  

Overly broad.   Heavy handed.   Unchecked.  

Surprisingly, I'm not talking about another one of Prussings commie proposals.  

Instead, Mayor Schweighart appears to have gone completely around the bend.

After being so impressed with the community rallying around the notion that you don't criminalize a property owner for the acts of criminals on the owners property, Mayor Schweighart is moving to shut down bars for 30 days because of patrons involved in drinking games.   Even more sad, the Mayor is giving bar owners the option to avoid being shut down for 30 days if they voluntarily go to 21 yo entry.  

He is obviously getting radical trying to push a 21 year old bar age even though he can't get it passed in council.    No shame. 

You have bars being penalized for pouring drinks to participants of a bar crawl.

You have bars being penalized because patrons were playing trivia in a bar and that trivia may have been associated with drinking games.

You have bars being penalized because the group participating in the bar crawl were promoting the bar as a stop.

I'm not kidding.  

You'd think I was kidding, but this is actually happening.

While a bar or two may have crossed the line and actually engaged in promoting drinking games, the Mayor has taken full advantage of his Czar powers and is acting like a dictator gone crazy.

This isn't the first time.   The Liquor Czar shut down a bar earlier this semester because a patron brought in a ping pong ball and a few were playing a drinking game on a table.    The bar didn't provide the ping pong ball, but were essentially penalized $10s of thousands of dollars in lost revenue by being shut down. 

I'm not kidding. 

You'd think I was kidding, but it actually happened.

What is the protocol for shutting down a business?   Is the penalty a function of a formula, or is the penalty a function of how grumpy the Czar is on a particular day?   Rather than fining a bar $10s of thousands of dollars, I would think a $500 fine would be appropriate.   Even more appropriate would be to fine the individual for doing something you believe to be wrong.   Is it too much to ask that a "conservative" mayor promote individual accountability? 

I am 100% in favor of the bars and the city working together and implement common sense mechanisms to curb underage drinking and challenges that come along with it.    Being unreasonable does not encourage reasaonable behavior.   In fact, I'm so shocked by this I'm actually going to block off a day on my calendar this spring and unofficially take a drinking day.   

The Liquor Czar's approach to "making bars accountable" is about as silly as making the bars 21 on Unofficial and trying to manage all the individual apartment parties.   It's a beautiful strategy you really have to see to appreciate.   In fact, I encourage you to check it out this spring if there are any bars that have not been shut down.  

Right now I'm really appreciating that Mayor Schweighart doesn't operate in the strong mayor system that Urbana does.   He seems to get drunk on power.

The sensible thing to do would be to work together with business, not encourage them to work against you.   It's not too late to start acting sensible.  

 (From Springfield, IL)

Get used to this folks.   At one point people worked for living, now we vote for a living.   At one point the government served us, now we serve the government.  

Didn't see this coming...(yes we did)

According to the proposed tax levy, the bulk of the property taxes — $16.2 million — would go toward police and fire pensions. Other expenses covered by property taxes would be contributions to the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund, payments of Social Security and Medicare taxes, and judgments.

The pension scam has finally caught up to us.   How much time before we can expect further tax increases?   How much time before we've maxed out every fee and creative tax option to make the tax burden less transparent?    Do we think we can just grow so fast and furious that we can offset this burden?  What happens when all the baby boomers retire on government pensions and we have the new guys coming in that we have pay additional benefits to? 

When the private sector realized this model wasn't sustainable, it adjusted.   If you feel it is appropriate to continue this unsustainable  model, at the very least admit that the only thing that state and local governments can do to sustain this scam is by drastically increasing taxes and/or reductions on other services.  Steadily increasing over time as we've done just will not be good enough.  

It is greedy to expect good, hard working taxpayers to provide government types benefits that can only be guaranteed on the backs of taxpayers who don't have government benefits.   Pretty soon, people are going to finally catch on.  

In the local municipalities, liberals don't have the luxury to simply suggest that we tax the investors and employees and pretend that the average taxpayer is not on the line.   This is going to be very interesting to watch.  

Watch what happens...it's just getting started.....

Are you a fan of special interests eliminating competition via legislation?

If the service you provide is essentially a commodity, how do you promote your value proposition?

If you want some pointers, you should take a look at latest and greatest from the wonderful world of realtors, where every market is different.

Since being a licensed real estate salesperson requires so much skill and expertise, they've doubled the minimum educational requirements.  If I read correctly, I think they even eliminated that position and are requiring the sales people to become brokers.  

This weekend, I enjoyed a beer with a real estate broker who told me about this law change and also informed me of something that I just don't believe.  Actually, I think he had too many beers because it just sounds crazy:

Is it true the local Champaign County Association of Realtors charges licensed sales agents a monthly non-member fee while not providing any service to the non-members?   Please, can someone confirm that this is BS, because if true, I might hold the leaders of this organization in less regard that I do union leaders.  From what I'm seeing from the law change, I think the realtor situation needs a closer look.   Just because they claim to be a business-friendly organization does not make all this any less shady.   In fact, this is quite disturbing.  

This is one of those deals that just sounds too silly to be true.   Are there any realtors out there who can justify this change?   How will it benefit the consumer for realtors to have an additional 45 hours of classroom.   I have to be honest, I value my realtor but it is not because of her "book smarts".   I know it's always a great time to buy (wink, wink), but I value her access to the MLS and her experience with transactions.  I value her networking skills and relationships in the community.  

Here's a summary of law change:

Edit: removed entire summary and simply provided link.

Palazzolo indicted:

The former executive director of the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District has been indicted by a Champaign County grand jury on seven felony counts stemming from his behavior while in office in 2006 and 2007.

State's Attorney Julia Rietz was attending a conference Friday and could not be reached for comment, but Champaign police detective Pat Kelly, who has investigated Vito Palazzolo for more than two years, said Rietz planned to make a statement Monday about the charges against Palazzolo, 53, who was fired in August 2007.

Ugh.

http://www.news-gazette.com/news/business/2009/11/04/germany_fumes_over_gm_ditching_opel_sale

Henderson said GM will work with Europe's unions "to develop a plan for meaningful contributions to Opel's restructuring."

Opel worker representative Franz said no. "We won't help shape the way back to General Motors," he said. "Instead, we'll take up our classic function of defending the workers."

(Talk about hitting the nail on the head)

I love reading the soaps.   I wouldn't be surprised if the workers take the management hostage like they do in France.   Now the question is do they really need to keep the German plants open where the workers are walking out?   It looks like there are other places in Europe that would appreciate the additional jobs.  

"After many promises and months of negotiations, the head of GM has left workers out in the cold," Ruettgers said. "This attitude from General Motors shows the ugly face of turbo-capitalism. It is completely unacceptable."

I dont know about you, but if I'm a negotiating a deal and the deal sucks, I reserve the right to pursue other options.  

There is water at the bottom of the ocean:

A rural Paris woman who has been an assistant to Gov. Pat Quinn for six years has suddenly resigned from her position as Quinn's deputy chief of staff.

Carolyn Brown Hodge, according to the Chicago Sun-Times, resigned from the governor's staff Friday night upon reports that the state's Office of the Executive Inspector General had confiscated her computer to determine whether she was doing political work on state time.

Remember, Brown Hodge isn't some Blagojevich holdover - she has been with Quinn for years, and was handpicked by Gov. Quinn for this job after he became Governor.  Remember this, and Gov. Quinn's loyal defense of Rod Blagojevich for six years as running mate and Lt. Governor, when Quinn is portrayed as some sort of anti-corruption reformer whose ethics cannot be questioned.

Welcome back 634th!

But I'm just a little curious, where was MG Dennis Celletti, CDR, Illinois Army National Guard, during all of the ceremonies for the return of the largest battalion in the state?

Next time anyone runs into him, ask General Celletti why, in 2006, a no-name security company based out of Chicago was awarded a contract to provide security for NG facilities around the state, strangely replacing Additional Duty soldiers who had been working directly for state security at each critical NG facility since 9/11/01. Also ask him why this company failed to provide weapons, training, or even conduct felony background checks on the personnel that it hired. Perhaps ask him why, at Marseilles Training Area, the largest training area in the state, with rugged off-road terrain, that security company provided only a SINGLE SEDAN that was up on a jack for months on end in full view of the front gate. Maybe ask why the employees of this company, spread out over the state, took their direct orders from their civilian supervisor in Springfield, instead of each local facilities' state security employee supervisor.

Finally, ask him why, after many complaints and questions, and no answers from the Puzzle Palace in Springfield, the company was quietly removed and replaced by a reputable, established security company.

(I'm thinking "crime for him and punishment for the rest of us" would be the best category for this.)

http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/08/the_coming_blago_blitz.php

http://thecapitolfaxblog.com/2009/07/27/absolutely-fabulous/

'Cause, ya know, he's got two mortgages and two children, and neither he nor his wife are working right now (he got robbed of his job!!), and they even had to borrow his brother's twenty year-old Volvo to drive around...

It's horrifying!!  It's just not fair!!

This is getting even worse than I had imagined it would:

In one e-mail exchange, University of Illinois Chancellor Richard Herman forced the law school to admit an unqualified applicant backed by then- Gov. Rod Blagojevich while seeking a promise from the governor's go-between that five law school graduates would get jobs. The applicant, a relative of deep-pocketed Blagojevich campaign donor Kerry Peck, appears to have been pushed by Trustee Lawrence Eppley, who often carried the governor's admissions requests.

When Law School Dean Heidi Hurd balked on accepting the applicant in April 2006, Herman replied that the request came "Straight from the G. My apologies. Larry has promised to work on jobs (5). What counts?"

Hurd replied: "Only very high-paying jobs in law firms that are absolutely indifferent to whether the five have passed their law school classes or the Bar."

I don't see how Herman can keep his job. 

http://thecapitolfaxblog.com/2009/06/25/question-of-the-day-766/

The choices:  Sanford, Spitzer, or Blago (Rod, not Patti!!)

http://www.thesouthern.com/articles/2009/06/23/breaking_news/doc4a414a422b719265863696.txt

Wonder if this will be reported in the News-Gazette, and will she still be featured in their ads for people who read the News-Gazette?

As U.S. stock markets plummeted last September, the Senate's No. 2 Democrat, Dick Durbin, sold more than $115,000 worth of stocks and mutual-fund shares and used much of the money to invest in Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

The Illinois senator's 2008 financial disclosure statement shows he sold mutual-fund shares worth $42,696 on Sept. 19, the day after then-Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke urged congressional leaders in a closed meeting to craft legislation to help financially troubled banks. The same day, he bought $43,562 worth of Berkshire Hathaway's Class B stock, the disclosure shows.

Altogether, Durbin sold investments worth $116,000 in September. By Oct. 2, he had invested $98,046 in Omaha, Neb.-based Berkshire Hathaway, the form shows.

Rich Miller today:

I’ve deliberately laid off of [Gov. Quinn], but time is up. No more. If he wants to claim the mantle of reform then he ought to prove it by ridding his office of the holdovers.

Actions, governor, speak much louder than words. Get on with it, for crying out loud.

Not that it matters to anyone else, but before I read another word about Quinn's reformer and anti-corruption credentials, I would love some sort of accounting for why he campaigned for and defended Blagojevich as late as 2006.

Actions speak much louder than words, but Quinn defended Blagojevich with both, lending his hard-earned credibility and reputation for honesty to defend someone widely known to be corrupt.  Why?

There is lots of speculation that the Federal indictment of former Governor Rod Blagojevich will happen today or tomorrow.

I have also heard but have been unable to confirm that the Obama Justice Department has asked that the indictment be sealed to protect other political figures from Illinois. As I said, I have been unable to confirm it, but I would like to preemptively state that I think a sealed indictment would be both outrageous and does not assist the long-term efforts to fight corruption in Illinois. Stay tuned.

UPDATE:  I've been told "not to worry" about a sealed indictment.  I hope so.