HE LOST $150 MILLION – HOW WAS HE NOT FIRED and sent into exile from Illinois politics????  But instead he’s running for the senate and practically has a chance no less????  Geesus the people in this state are brain-dead sometimes (no offense to those who are actually brain-dead!).

HillBuzz, a new favorite blog is having a photoshop contest. I sent over my latest contribution so I’m hoping the boys get a good ol’ laugh (or Lizzing – if they are friends of 30 Rock!).

Me: Senators refusing to meet with constituents to help explain how radical legislation will work are not productive, and thus not worth re-election. (via my Mouffffffffffff)

Add Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) to the list of Milk Carton Politicians, with a special mention for hubris and arrogance.  Unlike some of his colleagues, who put their mouths into hiding along with the rest of their bodies rather than face angry constituents, Durbin tells the public that meeting with voters is just “not productive.” But do you know what is productive [according to Durbin]?  Meeting with lobbyists.

What a doofus. What is even more of a crime is that this yookle will get re-elected to office, because that’s how Illinois rolls. The more corrupt you are, the more likely your odds at getting elected.  Yeah, let’s elect another dimwit Senator who cares more about how full his back pocket is than the constituents who voted him into office.

Way to go, Illinois! Lincoln is probably rolling in his grave.

William Kelly, Director of Reform Illinois, an Illinois nonprofit group, committed to government reform, announced today that his organization will run a reform slate of candidates in the 2010 Republican primary. “Today, I am announcing a new project from Rebuild Illinois.com. We are going to run a reform slate of candidates in the Republican primary for 2010. This is especially important now that Gov. Quinn’s reform commission does not seem to be living up to their promises. We can’t wait for another election cycle to go by and hope that the same cast of characters is going to do anything different,” remarked Kelly.

According to the Associated Press, Patrick Collins, Chairman of the reform panel appointed by Gov. Pat Quinn, has been critical. “If we’re trying to turn down the volume of big-money politics, this doesn’t do it,” says Collins. Collins points out that Illinois has virtually no restrictions on fundraising, which allowed former Governor Rod Blagojevich, a Democrat, to solicit donations of $25,000 and $50,000 at a time. Many of his big donors ended up with government contracts or appointments to state boards. Former governor Republican George Ryan is serving a 6 1/2-year federal sentence, in part because of similar allegations that he did favors for campaign donors.

“Real reform isn’t easy. It’s like rolling a boulder up a hill –like the proverbial Sisyphus – only to have it roll back down on him and start all over again,” says Kelly. “As citizens of Illinois, we have to hope that, eventually, that rock will make it to the top. But we need good people to help us get it there.”

By choosing to run a reform slate of candidates in the GOP primary, Rebuild Illinois may be upsetting a political establishment apple cart for both political parties. Kelly thinks that is exactly what needs to be done. “There is a difference between someone who runs for office just for the sake of winning and the person who has the guts to fundamentally reform government and the many bad people in it. It’s often hard to tell which one is which,” adds Kelly. “However, we have to step up to the plate and have some guts, take back our future – so there is one. And with Rebuild Illinois’ reform slate of candidates that is what we are going to do.”

For information or to schedule a media interview with William Kelly of Reform Illinois, please contact Laura Grock or Phil Collins at (312) 943-1100 or (312) 943-1106.

Driving on the roads in Chicago lately is like going on Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride minus the I’m-scared-but-not-really-scared-that-I’m-laughing howls in delight. Then couple this with the fact that the local government at the direction of financial geniuses, like Richard “Mayor McCheese” Daley and Todd “I’m making citizens pay $1 million for the worst PR ever” Stoger, have pissed away all the tax revenue we’ve provided and it’s no surprise the instant rage you suffer when see firsthand how the city is choosing to fix these pothole problems (kudos to my friend Laura for getting the evidence):

Gee, I think I see everything in there but the kitchen sink. And oh, yeah, a #$%#$%@#$@# proper solution to cost-effectively repairing tax-funded roads. HULK. MAD.

Yeah, the next time one of my liberal friends starts yammering on about how responsible government is at effectively managing services and/or budgets I’m just going to take this exact picture and slap them across the face with it. Because clearly, somebody needs some common sense smacked into them.

GAH! You don’t say!!!! (rolling eyes)

Via Slublog via Chicago Sun Times (side note: one of the few times I’m actually reading the Chicago Sun Times; I canceled myself from reading that star of tabloid journalism when Mary Mitchell was on her lunatic binge of calling those who chose to vote for Hillary over Obama racists. If a paper is going to go full force in employing people whose intellectual prowess is lower than mental retardation, then, yes – I’m going to stop reading the trash it reports in the name of journalism. Just this thing I have called a principle that keeps getting in the way.)

In a November conversation caught on an FBI wiretap, Roland Burris promised Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s brother that he’d write the governor a campaign check by mid-December, Burris’ lawyer said today.  That was about a month before Rod Blagojevich appointed Burris to the U.S. Senate.

Honestly, I’m all for this. Let’s really expose how crooked The Chicago Way is. Maybe if a big spotlight is put on this city the cockroaches knows as our politicians will scatter away. One can only hope (pun intended with the pic to the left).

Seems that Mayor McCheese!!! aka Richard Daley is now contemplating letting KFC, yes Kentucky Fried “Chicken,” clean up the city’s still-present-from-2007 pothole problem on the roads. Oh, for a nominal fee, of course. (via Huffington Post)

KFC, the fried chicken king, wants to add potholes to its menu.

The restaurant chain is offering to fill Chicago’s potholes, if it can plaster its logo on the repair.

Chicago Mayor Richard Daley on Tuesday seemed interested in the idea. However, he is amenable only if KFC is willing to pay. Daley mentioned $25 million and he threw out $50 million. At one point he even got as high as $80 million.

I think this is interesting to debate. On one hand you’ve got infrastructure problems that need money and a government who’s ultimately responsible from a production standpoint but is cash-strapped because they are operating outside of their means year after year. But then once you let private enterprise in, where does the line get drawn? On the other hand, we constantly see government meddling in private business, so why not the reverse if it means citizens will benefit at only the cost of seeing an additional marketing promotion?

I don’t really see the harm, but then my husband brought up a good point (in addition to the awesome nickname for our respected – snickers – mayor).

The issue I have with it is that Daley has been ranting and raving for years because of billboards. I have heard him complain on numerous occasions. This would require him to change that precedent. I don’t like billboards, but can you let KFC advertise on the street (literally) and not let McDonald’s place a billboard on a privately owned building?

At the end of the day, the real problem isn’t whether or not to let private enterprise get into a services trade with government. The problem is that the reasoning for government in the first place is that they are providing services that are supposedly served best under a collective funding and organization. Take away that reason because you’ve let private enterprise in, then why have government continue getting the tax revenue they do because they are no longer providing those services???

Unfortunately, the last 50+ years, people in civic professions have moved toward the reward scenario of private enterprise but have refused to adapt to the operational cost-containment structure that must come with operating as the private industry does. It’s unhealthy for years to run as a bureaucratic operation but expect the payout of a private company that just launched an IPO.

As to if Chicago will adopt this new policy, only time will tell. Having lived here for 4 years, I’ve been smacked around like a biaytch into the reality of Chicago Mob-run politics, i.e. the citizen’s choice doesn’t amount to squat. Viva Chi-Town!!!