A Profile in Cowardice

Dems have foot right up in mouths

A coward is someone with no principles. A coward bends this way and that and always checks to see which way the wind is blowing. Many Illinois and a few national stars of the Democratic party fit that definition and many are finding themselves in the position that cowards often find themselves: with foot in mouth. Much light has been shed because of the recent release of tapes in which Senator Roland Burris offers to indirectly buy his Senate seat.

The biggest coward of all is Senate majority leader Harry Reid. Reid, at first, utterly refused to seat anyone selected by scandal-ridden Governor Rod Blagojevich to fill Barak Obama's vacated Senate seat. It made sense to take this position. Blagojevich was, after all, under investigation by federal authorities for many crimes, including his offering of that very Senate seat to the highest bidder. Reid called Blagojevich's eventual selection as "unfair" and "regrettable."

What is truly regrettable, though, was Reid's cowardice when Burris pushed his way into the Senate, backed by former Black Panther and current Democratic Congressman Bobby Rush. Rush, who once vehemently opposed the idea of the governor making any appointment, had a change of heart and wanted to make it clear that the Congressional Black Caucus was very interested in having African-American representation in the Senate. Rush threatened Harry Reid and chided Reid and Senate Dems not to "hang or lynch" Burris because of Blagojevich's scandals. Burris and Blago, it seemed, were not above playing the race card.

This pressure, history will write, is the reason Illinois Senator Dick Durbin who once also promised to deny Burris the seat, turned around and saw it Burris' way. It is the reason, history will note, that Reid followed suit. It is the reason Burris was allowed to take his seat in the Senate. History, as usual, is forgetful...

History forgot that the people of Illinois were overwhelmingly demanding an election to fill the Senate vacancy. It has been all but forgotten that there was a strong movement to petition the people. It would have been only a fitting gesture and a rightful bow to democracy, since the people of Illinois had taken a backseat to the power politics and games of Governor Blagojevich and the ruling Democratic party in Springfield. The people wanted democracy, but the Democrats couldn't bare the thought of bringing democracy into the process. After all, "the people" do not matter to Illinois Dems.

The Senate, at Burris' election, was split in such a way that Senate Republicans would be able to hamper Obama's initiatives by enacting filibusters. With one more Democratic vote, the Dems would be able to stop any filibuster and continue with the institution of Obama's "changes." If the seat were left to an election, there was a chance, a slight chance albeit, that the scandal-wary people of Illinois, might elect a Republican. It was petty politics, not race, that led to Reid's decision to seat Burris. Consideration for the electorate was not a priority. So democracy took a back seat and Dems hoped Burris wouldn't be too big a disappointment.

They questioned him in Springfield to be sure of it. The state impeachment committee, headed by State Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie, questioned Burris on the relationship he had with Blagojevich. They did not question his run for governor a decade back, which assured Blago the victory over rival Paul Vallas. When Republican rep Jim Durkin decided to get specific, Burris refused to answer and was defended by fellow Dems on the committee. Burris sat in front of the state legislature an lied and lied and lied.

After taking his Senate seat he "adjusted" his testimony to avoid perjury charges. Questions resurfaced and then slowly the matter was buried in the fantastic story of the impeachment, removal, and indictment of Governor Blagojevich.

Only yesterday, it resurfaced after the feds released several minutes of recorded phone conversations between Burris and the governor's brother. In the tapes Burris is asked for financial support and he insists that he wants the Senate seat. When the governor's brother asked for a "donation" and upped the ante by explaining that there were other buyers in the market, Burris explained that he did not want his donation to appear as payment for the Senate seat. Then his ego got to him. Burris, who's self-styled mausoleum heralds him as an Illinois "trailblazer," could not refuse the bait any longer. He finally concocts a plan to send money to the governor through his lawyer.

Disgusting. The Democrats sold the Senate seat to the highest bidder, denied the democratic process, knew about pay-to-play corruption, worked to sweep it under the rug of time, and now they want us to forget their involvement in the whole sordid affair. I remember though.

The good, hard-working people of Illinois were denied by Dick Durbin. We were rejected by Harry Reid. Our voice was silenced by Currie and Madigan. We were ignored and laughed at by Bobby Rush. We were kicked to the curb by Roland Burris. And we were bent over backward by Rod Blagojevich.

So why do we keep voting for these people? I do not understand this madness. Are we happy now that we have a scandal-ridden Senator to add to our long list of indicted governors and jailed politicians in Illinois?

And how are we thanked? We are thanked by people like Currie, who in an intense talk with my students this week, asked where she was supposed to get the $12 billion needed to correct the out-of-control Illinois budget if not from further taxation of the people. While she conceded that times were tough, she insisted that taxes were going to be raised this week to meet state "obligations." Many of my students asked me why she was blaming the deficit on them. They felt personally upset that Currie's lack of sound decision-making and inability to control spending was being blamed on them.

The unelected governor, Pat Quinn, meanwhile lobbied Springfield to accept a huge 50% increase in the state income tax. He and Currie point out that Illinois, among states that tax income, has very low taxes. They would have us believe that we need to pay our fair share. They want this to be our fault.

Well, it isn't. It is their fault for not governing and we should on the whole reject them and vote in a new legislature. Democracy, I do believe, is the only way for Illinoisans to defend themselves from these criminals. (And when I say criminals, I am not blowing anything out of proportion.) As Currie herself told my students: "Show me the votes. Show me the votes and things will get done."

So let's show these cowards the votes. Let's reclaim Illinois.

The only legislator who met with my students and who talked of cutting spending in these tough times was Republican Michael McAuliffe. The only state rep interested in asking tough questions to Burris was Republican Jim Durkin. The only people worth their salt in Springfield right now are the endangered Republicans.

P.S. Just a little story. When a fellow teacher brought some students to Washington to meet our new Senator he posed for a group shot with them. He directed the students to smile and then said, "MONEY!" (Instead of "cheese.") He chided the students for not following suit and it was done again until the bewildered kids followed him in his mantra.