Thursday, September 28, 2006

Waiting for the second Wednesday in November

That'll be the day after the upcoming elections... and it can't come too soon.

In Illinois we have a spirited gubernatorial contest between the Democratic incumbent, "Had Enough?", and the Republican challenger, the current State Treasurer, "What's She Thinking?".

OK, these are not the candidates' actual names, these are just the monikers they've hung on each other in the course of their negative ads.

Their interminable, ubiquitous negative ads.

These are not the only names they call each other, although these are the names most frequently used. Sometimes they call each other "George Ryan." (He's the former governor who will shortly be reporting to prison because of a conviction on official corruption charges.)

Both the current candidates may be under Federal investigation; they each say the other is. "Had Enough?" is certainly under investigation -- but maybe not (yet) for the $1,500 check his daughter received from one of the Governor's "closest friends" on the occasion of the little girl's 7th birthday. He's like a godfather to the child, the Governor explained. Which prompted Middle Son to call his godfather recently and complain that he'd been seriously shortchanged.

Oh, and just after giving the $1,500 birthday gift, the long-time childhood friend's wife just happened to get a State job. And she was quoted in the Chicago Tribune one recent Sunday about how she hates the Governor's guts.

(It's so sad when your spouse doesn't like your childhood friends. I'm sure a visit from the FBI had nothing to do with her soured opinion of the Governor.)

I could provide you with links on all of this -- but why bother? If you are even dimly aware of Illinois politics -- or receive any Illinois TV station -- you know I'm not making any of this up. And if you aren't aware of Illinois politics -- because you're safely across the country, or in another country altogether -- well, you probably wouldn't have much interest in following the links anyway. It would only disillusion you.

Just keep telling yourself what Churchill said: "Democracy is the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time."

Oh, no, there's another commercial....

Must... find... mute... button....

5 comments:

Jean-Luc Picard said...

Illinois politics sounds very colourful.

There are a few weird characters in British politics as well.

Empress Bee (of the high sea) said...

aaaggggg, i got back to palm beach just in time for mark foley's resignation. ewwwww........... and i have voted for that sicko for years! i need another shower!

The Curmudgeon said...

Here's the real sick part: The Republican leadership knew about this for a year... and Foley didn't resign until the (merely creepy, not the blantant and overt) e-mails were leaked. How come they didn't tell this guy to retire and 'pursue opportunities in the private sector' as soon as they found out? Because they didn't want another race for an open seat? Very, very, very distressing.

off line said...

"Disillusion?" Curmudgeon! Please! Are you telling me that there are real live people out there, in the voting public, who still have faith in government?

Ah, no! There's my disillusion! I actually thought there'd be no need to provide links, only because...if anyone knows anything about any government from any country, surely they'd know that you are not making things up. Eek

Empress Bee (of the high sea) said...

yeah they knew. and yeah you are right. florida may be a red state but if you look inside it is really purple (mixing red and blue)and they would have most probably lost the seat to a blue one. sigh.... bee