My reluctant endorsements for the 2010 elections.

Bring this into your local polling place and give me a few more votes. Enjoy the informative links.

Amending the Illinois Constitution No

We already have a method to remove a governor who is no longer fit to serve. We used it to remove the indicted Rod Blagojevich successfully. Why change the Constitution to iunclude California-style recall? This measure gives Michael Madigan and the state legislature more power and takes power from the governor's office, upsetting horizontal balance of power within the state. The measure will create a horrible political environment in which governors are under the gun and will have to make popular decisions instead of correct decisions. While it seems to be a very democratic change to the Constitution, this measure will actually create quite a mess.

For Senate Mark Steven Kirk (R)

This race is easy and should have been an open and shut one for the Republicans, but Kirk has proven to have many flaws. He tries to please every segment of the electorate and has painted himself into corners. He says he supports this and then ends of voting for that. He tries to make everyone happy. This just doesnt work in a high-profile Senate race. I hope he realizes soon that we can all hear him now and maybe he should not streth the truth. His fibs, though, are nothing compared to the lies of his pathetic opponent, Alexi Giannoulias.

For me it comes down to Giannoulias' connections with Syndicate figures in Chicago and Miami. His dealings with mafia types while an executive at his family bank stink to high heaven. He has no answer for his shady past and cannot be trusted. Outside of the mafia, he has connections to future cellmates Rod Blagojevich and Tony Rezko. I think Illinois has had enough of politicians like Giannoulias who buy and sell influence. It is time for a public servant, even a flawed one like Kirk.

Giannoulias has tried to paint Kirk as an arch-conservative, which is far from the truth. He is one of the most liberal Republicans in the House. While he is no conservative, he will vote the party line and a vote for Kirk is a vote for a new party in the very Illinois Senate seat marred by the Blagojevich scandal.

And to call Kirk a liar over and over again when you are Alexi Giannoulias is the height of hypocrisy. Aren't there enough hypocrites in DC?

For Governor Bill Brady, er....maybe Quinn, naw Cohen.

This race is so full of buffoonery this year that I am seriously considering a vote for a steroid-abusing, wife-beating, prostitute-having, pawn shop owner. Why not just skip the formalities and just elect a criminal like Scott Lee Cohen? I suppose, it would be too cynical.

Does it even matter who the governor of the state of Illinois is when Michael Madigan rules from the Legislature with an iron fist? After all, Blagojevich was not removed until Madigan decided it would be so. So I will probably vote for Brady simply because our last indicted governor was a Democrat. I do not think he will have enough power to do much damage to education and hope that he will come to his senses and realize that eventually taxes will have to go up a bit. In the last debate, when asked what he would cut, he said he wouldn't know for sure because he does not trust Quinn's numbers.... and neither do I.

It is too bad Illinois cannot have a decent candidate for governor like Kirk Dillard or Jesse White. Maybe, on second thought, I will just write-in Dillard's name and cleanse myself of having to vote for such a doofus as Brady. Brady's promises in his recent ads that he will personally protect me from all harm are as laughable as his weak attempt at smiling. No one who passes bills aiming to gas puppies can smile, and Brady probably already knows this.

For U.S. House 5th IL David Ratowitz (R)

This is another negative vote. Mike Quigley is so focused on Mike Quigley that he forgets to represent the hard-working people of the Northwest Side. He decided to vote for Obama's unpopular "health insurance reform" that will bankrupt the American people at the worst time. The law is simply a corporate bailout for insurance companies and banks and might even be a political ploy, but Quigley did not care. So I am going to vote for his Republican opponent who will lose by 70 points. At least my conscience is clear.

For Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle (D)

Preckwinkle will probably win with 80% of the vote. She is a far cry from the selfish criminal, Todd Stroger, who has held this office for the past few years. She is a former educator and understands public service. She is a proven leader in the Kenwood community and has a spotless record. Her opponent is anti-union just for the principle of it. He wants to go at the budget with a cleaver and is a real danger to the functionality of the county. I got to say that I really like Toni. Maybe it's just because we are both history teachers.

For Cook County Comissioner 9th District Brock Merck (G)

I usually vote for Republicans, and Merck is a conservative in many ways. His Green Party affiliation is simply a matter of necessity to get on the ballot. Merck is a real neighborhood guy who ran a great campaign. He is a former cop and the owner of a local store. He probably will not beat the connected Republican incumbent, but voting for Merck is like a voting for your neighbor. He is the only candidate who feels the pain of tax increases, poor management, and corruption. He will not represent any entity, but his fellow voters.

For State Senate 10th District Brian Doherty (R)

I was highly offended by John Mulroe's ads accusing Doherty of being the spearhead for the sale of parking meters when the sale was pushed by the Democratic party. I have zero tolerance for hypocrisy. The connected and scandal-ridden incumbent, the retiring James DeLeo, made a mockery of this post and now the state Democratic party is pouring millions of dollars to prevent the popular alderman Brian Doherty from taking the seat for the Republicans. I feel a vote for the Democrat, Mulroe, is a vote for the same party and policies that bankrupted Illinois.

Other endorsements:

For Secretary of State Jesse White (D)

Let's see if he gets over 95% this year. I don't just love him for being a Chicago Cub and a great educator, I also love him for this moment last year.

For Attorney General Lisa Madigan (D)

I don't like that she is the daughter of the anti-democratic czar of Illinois, but I do like that she isn't trying to be governor or Senator so she can keep her job. And, byt he way, she is pretty good at it too.

For Comptroller Judy Baar-Topinka (R)

What's she thinking? She's thinking about fiscal conservatism and experience... and pant suits.

For State Treasurer Dan Rutherford (R)

A solid candidate (who could be a future governor of Illinois) for an important position stained by its current, inept occupant Alexi Giannoulias.

For State Rep 19th Distrct David Anderson (R)

Lyons needs to be fired for helping to bankrupt Illinois.

For Cook County Clerk Angel Garcia (R)

His opponent has held the post forever and forgot to send ballots to servicemen overseas fighting for our democracy. Oops.

For Cook Couny Assessor Forrest Claypool (I)

He is reform-minded and NOT his fat, scandalous opponent, Joe Berrios.

For Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart (D)

Our future mayor and a great public servant.

Giannoulias is knee deep in slime

Can Illinois set a new record? 5 governors in 40 years to prison.

The people of Illinois are proud to be first among the states. No second city for us! We have the nation's tallest buildings and most storied architecture. We are home to the largest commodity market in the world. Our universities produce record numbers of Nobel laureates. Our state also is first and foremost in political corruption. In the last 35 years, Illinois has seen four of its governors in handcuffs. You would think that the people would learn, but they keep doing the same thing. With the announcement that popular Attorney General Lisa Madigan will not run for governor (perhaps eyeing an Obama-supported run at the Senate), the stars have aligned for the possibility that we may have a fifth incarcerated governor on the way.

In 2003, a little-known, young Chicago politician, with a hard-to-pronounce last name captured the governorship of Illinois. His rise to the top, it has been discovered, rested on bullying and questionable associations. The Blagojevich story is set to happen all over again in 2010. Since Madigan stepped down, a front-runner among the few Democratic candidates set to challenge Pat Quinn for re-election, is a little-known, young Chicago politician, with a hard-to-pronounce last name and questionable ties that fueled his rise. Alexi Giannoulias, who was careful to associate himself with Obama and his promise of "change," was invited by Obama's people to speak at the Democratic Convention. Giannoulias, though, is not "change," but is more of the usual for Illinois.

Giannoulias will be dogged by his associates. They will take him down like they took down Blago. He is standing on a pedestal of stink and corruption. He has no foundation. Giannoulias is simply an inlet of money and is set to buy any seat he can. He does not hide his ambition. Dems in Illinois know this, but the money talks. This is why Senator Durbin has called Giannoulias a "formidable candidate."

Another politician who will listen to the money and not the people. The problem is money stinks. Giannoulias' rise began when he was made president of the family business, Broadway Bank in Chicago. It just happens to the bank where Tony Rezko, the infamous convicted fund-raiser for Obama and Blagojevich wrote his checks from. When Rezko was on top, he recommended his banker Demetrius Giannoulias, Alexi's brother, to an influential state position. The bank, meanwhile, backed some Rezko real estate deals. Support from the Giannoulias family was rewarded on more than one occasion by indicted governor Rod Blagojevich, maybe due to the intercession of Rezko.

Broadway Bank, of which Giannoulias was president, also has interesting business with known figures in the mafia. Convicted bookie, boxing promoter, pimp, and mafia dupe Michael "Jaws" Giorango was able to secure a $11.8 million loan to build a casino. Alexi has changed his story often about this deal. Sometimes he blames his brother for the deal, other times he has called Giorango a "very nice person." In an interview with the Chicago Tribune, he admitted that he helped service the deal and that he spoke with Giorango about his criminal history. Money speaks and doing business with people entangles you in their business. Maybe it was Giannoulias money that Giroango used to fuel the prostitution ring he ran in Miami until he was convicted in 2004? Who knows?

An associate of Michael "Jaws" Giorango also did business with the Giannoulias family. Millions of dollars in loans were extended to Spiros Naos and Giorango, who was working on a big floating casino deal. (Naos is the nephew of slain casino owner Gus Boulis. After selling his floating casino operation to convicted influence-peddler Jack Abramoff, Boulis was gunned down. Gambino family associates have been convicted of the Boulis murder.) Naos, in turn, donated thousands to the Giannoulias campaign. When news of the Naos-Giannoulias connection broke, Giannoulias returned the contributions.

Giannoulias knows money. And he knows it talks in Chicago. That is why he hitched his wagon to star and became one of Barack Obama's top contributors in 2004. Obama kept his campaign funds in the Giannoulias family bank and has since paid for the support. Giannoulias was invited to speak at Obama's Democratic Convention and was allowed to act as a voice from the victorious Illinois Democratic party on the national stage. Giannoulias held fund-raisers for Obama and has called Obama his "political mentor."

While Obama and Giannoulias do run with the same crowds, Giannoulias is more Chicago, I must admit, than Obama. Giannoulias' rise was fueled by his family, his connections, and money from dark places. He is Chicago, though and through. His short career has been built on shady promises and backroom deals. It is the kind of stuff Illinois governors of late have been made of.

The opinion of Illinoisans have no place in the political world of Giannoulias. He knows power does not come from the democratic process, but from money. How else can a 30 year-old nobody become a viable candidate? He will grandstand. He will call his opponents out of touch. He will act as if he is the voice of change, but he is more of the same.

And his chances are good. The Democratic primary will probably be between him and Pat Quinn. Quinn has proven unable to govern or solve any problems. Instead of using sound politics and working on relationships with state legislators, Quinn has focused on silly scare tactics. It will be all too easy to point out his failure to lead. The Republicans so far have no big name candidates and seem as if they will face an expensive slug-fest of a primary. The GOP candidate will probably emerge to the general election politically damaged and financially broke. This is where Giannoulias will outspend his opponent and saturate the airwaves.

Soon Giannoulias could be sitting in the same seat as Rod Blagojevich. And he will probably learn the same lesson: when you surround yourself with slime, you tend to get dirty.

My predictions: (1) Roland Burris will announce he will not run for the Senate. Lisa Madigan will beat out Kennedy for the Democratic candidacy for the Burris Senate seat. I wish Mark Kirk would run for the GOP, but he may not want to lose his seat in Congress. (2) Giannoulias will beat out Quinn and will be the next governor and U.S. attorney Patrick Fitzgerald will run him out of office and into prison. (3) Sarah Palin did something wrong that she is trying to hide.

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.