Time for the circus to end

By Kyle Weise

Over the last several weeks, Illinois politics has become the butt of jokes from every form of comedic act on television.  

Our state’s politics have become the quintessential model of corruption and dishonesty for several decades dating all the way back to the pre-Capone era.

There are several examples of the misuse of power, particularly from the governor’s office but also as far down the line as local politics.

The city of Chicago coined the phrase “vote early, vote often” meaning that people could vote more than once or even some people can reach out from the grave to cast a vote.

John F. Kennedy, who is often compared to our current president, won electoral votes from the state of Illinois despite only winning nine counties out of 101.  There is sufficient evidence to suggest there were many forms of corruption and illegalities which swayed the vote to Kennedy.

Even though Nixon would have probably lost the election even if he had won Illinois, it does not make anyone feel better about how it was won.

Five out of the last eight governors have faced some form of indictment, and a few of them including our last governor George Ryan, have had to face jail time.

Now we come to Governor Rod Blagojevich, who I believe is not only brazen, brash, and completely full of himself, I also believe him to be a complete sociopath.

What exactly has been accomplished in our state’s political system since Governor Blagojevich’s arrest? What do the politicians have to show the citizens of Illinois since this fiasco, to put it lightly, started?

President Obama came from the same Chicago political machine that has time and again proven to be corrupt. However, I personally do not feel he has in any way benefitted or become involved in any of the numerous schemes that have repeatedly plagued Chicago and Illinois politics.

Maybe I am just upset the people of Illinois have to pay taxes to keep up the governor’s mansion for a governor who never stays there.

Maybe I am tired of seeing my state, where I have lived my entire life and take a little pride for being from the Land of Lincoln, made a mockery of on television.

To be honest, I do not think our state should even be known as the Land of Lincoln because of the fact that maybe Illinois really has not earned it.

This all comes from someone who does not really agree with the politics of President Obama but, like Senator McCain said, is truly in awe of the way he inspires people.

Here’s to the hope that President Obama delivers on all of his promises and helps to not just restore, but reinvent Illinois politics.

Then maybe President Obama, unlike Governor Blagojevich, unlike Governor Ryan, unlike JFK, will have at least given the state a little bit of reason to have earned the nickname Land of Lincoln.