An Unlocked Post about Illinois Political Corruption, Wherein I Speak for All Chicagoans

[tygrestick]

I was just talking to Caraleigh, and we were discussing how we've both seen so many articles coming out today asking "What's wrong with Chicago? Don't they realized that in the past 35 years, 4 governors have been convicted of fraud? (including Blagojevich

Comments

[narceus]

WORD.

This is what I keep trying to explain to people here, but feeling like I'm doing a bad job. Of COURSE our politicians are corrupt. We all know and expect our politicians to be corrupt. NOBODY's surprised that Blago's gone down. But while they're competently corrupt, we don't really give a fuck.

I think it's the ballsiness that I need to start including in my explanations. Most people respect ballsiness. Right?

[tygrestick]

yeah, ballsiness is a good way to explain it! I don't know, I'm also trying to say to people "Look, we *know* they're corrupt and don't care- we only give a shit when they're incompetant. Which Blag. clearly was."

we are so misunderstoooooood

[angel_blue01]

I agree with most of your essay, maybe as a Chicagoan I know corruption is the way it is, so this is hardly surprising.

But although I like Daley too, he's been great for the city, if I could have, I would not have voted from him last time. He's crossed my threshold of corruption without a relative increase in competence, although Blago's offsetting him quite a bit :p.

Its more fun to laugh at them then throw them out of office, aren't that what politicians' gaffs are for?

Ob'a on the other hand is pretty clean, yep, which is what you need as a president, anyone remember Harding? :-)

[tygrestick]

Hm, yeah, Daley's doing a lot worse lately. I've heard he isn't planning to run for re-election- we'll see if that's true! This whole parking meter thing is a bummer.

It's totally fun to laugh at them and throw them out of office! Scandals are what we do. :DDD

Here via <lj user=newredshoes>

[gramarye1971]

Well put. It makes a good deal of sense, really, not just in Chicago politics but in almost anywhere. As the British TV series Yes, Prime Minister put it, 'If you're incompetent you have to be honest, and if you're crooked you have to be clever.' If you fail on either count, no one is going to come to your rescue -- in fact, they'd be more than happy to kick the chair out from under you once they see that you've got sufficient rope to hang yourself.

Re: Here via <lj user=newredshoes>

[tygrestick]

Hello and welcome! I think you're exactly right- Chicagoans expect corruption, but that's fine as long as things are working. Otherwise, we will rejoice in your downfall. I've been getting rather annoyed by all the nightly newscasters who seems to be all shocked and offended that Blagojevich could possibly do this, and how could Illinois vote for him, etc. etc. Ugh.

[tygrestick]

Hello!!

I think you have hit the nail on the head. I've been getting so annoyed by everyone who's all shocked that Illinois would vote for so many corrupt politicians- they don't get that *every* politician is corrupt, and we just keep hoping one will be competently corrupt.