I’ll probably be denominated a sociopath again, but here goes.
Not to be too Aristotelian about it, Dan, but Blago lacks the stature to be a tragic figure, and the Illinois electorate has been too complicit with the political shenanigans to make them proper victims. NB: O! isn’t a tragic figure yet, either. He’s not O!thello.
For one thing, it’s too carnivalesque.
(h/t Sdferr)
Heh, more: Why libs have decided that Blago must be MAD AS A HATTER! (h/t Insty)
Maybe Reihl wants THE NATION to be his tragic figure, eh DC? Scaling Sophocles up for the new century!
If Dan doesn’t stop soapboxing, I’m going to think he wants himself to be the tragic figure.
That is the wrong hill for his sense of humor to die on.
Like it or not, there is a level of society that requires at least some level of government support.
Says who? And by what lights does this person purport to be a conservative?
Yes, there will always be those in society who will require some form of external support. Why do we reflexively assume this to be a government responsibility? It certainly is a societal responsibility, why not leave it to other elements of society? This would appear to be more in keeping with the principles of limited government and a free society.
Good to see you, again, Jimmie. I’m adding you to my reader right now.
I can’t keep all the good blogs in my head.
Like it or not, there is a level of society that requires at least some level of strike>government support.
Yes, they’re the disabled, those whom the brighter lights on the left would ABORT ABORT ABORT!
Like it or not, there is a level of society that requires at least some level of
governmentsupport.Yes, they’re the disabled, those whom the brighter lights on the left would ABORT ABORT ABORT!
good lord, Riehl is really reaching with the pro-life thingy.
Not a mention of Blago in my local paper this morning.
Are you guys sure this story will be around for a long time?
You just keep on reading your paper, parsnip.
And what paper might that be?
Cause the Chicago Tribune sure luvs it.
http://dailywoof.wordpress.com/2006/02/08/democrat-congressman-predicts-war-right-before-midterms/
How’s that war (presumably with Iran) going for ya, Rahm. It was the 2006 mid-terms, yes? Maybe HE’s the crazy one?
The Dan R thing is not a thing that makes sense to me a lot. I tried reading it and then Mr. Goldberg but neither of them were helping me understand anything more better so I gave up. My feeling is that since this Blago person hasn’t resigned when just a few months ago Spitzer resigned for being way less criminal that this is something different. Socialists like alphie and a lot of Baracky’s media people don’t seem particularly bothered by this sort of blatant corruption. Maybe that’s part of what’s different.
No doubt Blgo will continue to be a local story, Techie.
But nationally?
I saw Diaper Dave Vitter spewing the usual Republican hatred of working class Americans on TV yesterday and wondered how many Americans were laughing at him along with me.
Diaper Dave Vitter(R – Values) is a story that will never fade, Blogo, not so much.
Jeez can you be more condescending? You make working class Americans sound like shortbus retard kids what are under your dirty socialist benevolent protection.
oh.
Of course they are, hf, they went to second tier schools like Boise St. or land grant schools like Michigan St., they are by nature “incurious”.
Dave Vitter? LMFAO!
Oh, and believe me, they have not yet begone to condescend. Every other post of theirs is to remind us that they are all our intellectual superiors. Seems they keep needing the reassurance.
and “begone” is my Freudian slip for the day. Preview is not my friend. Insert “begun”.
How I have missed the “elitist” talking point from the right.
That and the guilt by association shtick were the twin keys to Republican success last election.
Remember Sarah Palin calling 60% of Virginians phonies?
Ahhh, memories.
You know, if you guys are so brilliant, why don’t y’all band together and get your own blog?
Or at least band together and try to come up with a couple of coherent sentences.
techie
They are afraid of Bogarting each others psychotropic meds… not the meds are doing that much good if the delusions and alternate realities evident in such as root veggie’s droolings are any indication.
The 60s will never be over for you, will they, darleen?
Pretty much. Except for the flashbacks.
hf, try reading Barone (@USNews; Insty has a link); he explains the Patronage Politics in Chicago pretty well.
(You’ll get a better understanding of why Chicagoans tend to think of Mayor Daley as “King Richard II”.)
The 60s will never be over for you, will they, darleen?
Total lack of self awareness.
Oh; sorry, hf, I really didn’t give you much reason for looking for Barone: He’ll give you a better idea as to why back-room connections (of which Blago has a few) mean more than Public Statements from AGs who might be trying to protect their own (nepotistic) asses.
Also, take a look at “The Swamp”, a Chicago Tribune blog from their DC bureau (sry, can’t link from here): You might figure out why Blago was trying to shake down the Trib….
Don’t fret little turnip it will get exciting again when Rahm Emmanuel resigns.
Just remember. You sent Chicago style politics to the White House.Sucker.
I read it all Challeron. Here. Here’s still what I don’t get…
That’s all Barone says about that. All of Mr. Blago’s peeps or an awful lot of them have bailed on him. The obvious inference I guess is that Mr. Blago has no sense of party loyalty or any concern about party welfare. And he’s the governor. But I think you have to wonder if he’s clinging to power out of loyalty to something other than party. Someone would have to explain to me how getting impeached is in his best interests, or if not impeached then whatever that crooked AG hoochie wants to engineer. I don’t get that.
Contra Barone, HotAir is headlining Blago might resign by Monday, which they got from the Chi Sun-Times.
ok. That makes sense and we are living in a more rationaler universe if that happens. Thanks, Sdferr.
rot veggie
I was born in ’54 so the 60’s for me was one of looking at the “big kids” and wondering “what the fuck are they thinking?”
but hey, don’t let that harsh your delusions.
hf, sdf, far be it from me to refute a Professional Journalist; that said, my guess is that Blago thought he could hang tough because no one in the Machine wanted him to spill the beans at an impeachment hearing.
… Which, incidentally, could also be why he suddenly decided to resign (if he has): Perhaps he wants to live a while longer….
In Chicago Politics, apparently, if you’re not on the take, you’re on the hook….
This is a tragedy
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/matsu/story/621988.html
Not a mention of Blago in my local paper this morning.
Just noticed this.
Your local paper must really suck, huh?
It’s in keeping with your typical narcissistic behavior that you think the editorial decisions of the Hicksville Crotch Weekly Shopper (“Now incorporating the Canny Penny and The Savvy Nickel”) are an accurate reflection of the buzz surrounding this story. Don’t worry — I’m sure they’ll catch up in next week’s edition. Or is it next month’s?
As I write, eight hours or so after you posted that, the LA Times has filed a new story within the last 15 minutes, the New York Times 17 minutes ago, and the WaPo within the last three hours. Naturally, the Chicago papers are all over it as well.
While I’m sure they don’t have the stature of your “local paper”, maybe you’ve heard of them?
My guess on why Blago may not resign is that his holding onto his office is a bargaining chip. It is obvious that he’s caught, and if he goes quietly, without trial, without further testimony being leaked to the public, then he would resign.
My further guess is that the powers that be are trying to get a deal cut now so that he doesn’t get impeached, which would mean another public trial, with a further public record. Could they just have him killed? sure, but there’s also a US attorney out there with a bad attitude, hours of tape, and a RICO statute. Who wants to be next?
Speaking of hours of tape, who else is on those tapes? Based on the contents of the tapes, were other wiretaps sought and granted? I bet Mylanta sales in Chicago and Springfield have gone up.
Theoretically, the entire state of Illinois could be under indictment by the new year.