Everybody knows we live in the most corrupt state in the country, and in the most corrupt county in that most corrupt state.
It took a long time, and a lot of elections of inept and corrupt candidates, to get that way. And the only way it’s ever going to improve is through a lot more elections, but of competent, honest, public-spirited candidates instead.
We can’t expect the U.S. Attorney to muck out these stables all by himself. The current guy – clearly the most tenacious and apolitical one we’ve had in at least 30 years – won’t be around forever; and criminal investigations, prosecutions and convictions of corrupt officials take a lot of time and money. Even when those prosecutions are successful and the crooks go to jail, that still leaves a lot of public offices manned by incompetent mopes who are easy marks for the next generation of corrupt opportunists.
Voting is the only remedy for this situation, although we must realize that significant change won’t happen overnight.
But unless enough people vote, even if that means sometimes voting for the “lesser of two evils,” it won’t happen at all.
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6 comments so far
Way to go Cook County and Illinois! Not even close to a 1/3 of you voted.
Pathetic.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Hey, maybe the weather deterred a lot of prospective voters.
We’d be interested to see if there are any records to show the relative voting performance yesterday of the many various demographic groups.
But to your point: pathetic. Which is why we keep getting what we’ve been getting.
Lowest in 7 freakin’ decades for a Presidential Primary!!! What makes it worse is I bet a significant percentage of those who voted did not even understand the ballot. How many do you think picked their choice for President but did not properly select the delegates??
EDITOR’S NOTE: Just another of the consequences of living in a notoriously corrupt state/county where people feel their vote is meaningless.
And those who did vote returned to Springfield and Washington many of the people who are robbing them. Insanity.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The perils of small turnouts…aided by the most recent Democratic remapping that exacerbated the advantages the Democrats gained from their previous remap.
When honest, competent, public-minded people do run they’re not supported. I agree that the least people can do is VOTE. What do these candidates need to do/say to get the public’s attention …. and to actually VOTE?!
EDITOR’S NOTE: That’s an interesting point, although you’ve really raised the bar with “honest,” “competent” AND “public-minded” – even if the first and second, together, probably ensure the third.
Low turnout is the first sign that the hacks and lackeys are going to win.
The Dems said nothing about this guy Smith who was charged with attempted bribery UNTIL after he got elected. NOW Jessie White and Pat Quinn want him to step down?
That represents everything that is wrong with Illinois politics and our political parties.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Actually, there were several news accounts of various Democratic officials – including U.S. Rep. Danny Davis – expressed their support of his candidacy.
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