CBS 2 Chicago reporter Mike Flannery says he "hit a nerve" Wednesday night when his reporter on Rod Blagojevich--the governor who will not govern.Channel 2 was inundated with e-mails, Flannery reports, almost all of them denouncing the Chicago Democrat, and their web site published dozens of them.
Almost all are worth reading--here a few:
I am embarrassed to be from Illinois. The antics of our current governor make the crimes of George Ryan look tame in comparison. Soon the "Welcome to Illinois" signs on our borders will be taken down and replaced by signs that read "State closed due to foreclosure - Rod Blagojevich, Governor". How much longer are the people of Illinois going to put up with this hack? California recalled their useless Governor Davis, so when are we going to do the same?
- Evan Breyn, Crystal Lake
The report by Mike Flanagan definitely reinforces the belief by many that he is a totally incompetent Governor. He shows the same interest in the State of Illinois and its problems as King George did when dealing with the colonies. He lets his advisers suggest ways and his cronies in the legislator (parliament) deal with the problems and then still feels that he has the divine right to do as he wants to do because he is the Governor (King). I am glad that there is a need for a super majority or else there would be a crisis as to how to pay for all of his programs for only the people that he wants to help. The only trouble we have is that it has taken so long for the news organizations throughout the state this long to uncover his true lack of responsibility to the state not just himself and his desires for our tax money.
-Marc Woods, Westmont
Now that was good reporting! If the Governor in his arrogant way, thinks we will stand still for his management by being absent, he's got another thing coming. Our Governor has done more harm to the State of Illinois than anyone who previously held that office. If he attempts to run again, he will see how those of us who pay for his leisurely management style feel about it. While Governor Nero fiddles, and jogs and says hello to his kids, Illinois burns. We aren't the dummies he thinks we are. His days in office are numbered.
- M. Saper, Wilmette
Again, thanks for your candor.
Reasons for going or staying in war aside, Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn has done more to honor our Illinois troops than Gov. Blagojevich ever has. I've seen Quinn at several military funerals, but why can't the executive of the state at least pay his respects?
- Acton H. Gorton, Carbondale, IL
Mike Flannery deserves an Chicago Emmy Award for Wednesday's story. He followed up last night with more salvos against our failure of a governor.
More from CBS 2 Chicago:
Can the governor be recalled? How much do we as taxpayers pay for his lifestyle? Those are just some of the questions viewers e-mailed to CBS 2 after Wednesday night's special report exposing they way Gov. Rod Blagojevich is spending his time and the state's money.
As CBS 2 Political Editor Mike Flannery reports, the story hit a nerve. A viewer asked what taxpayers are paying for the governor's flights back and forth to Springfield from his Northwest Side home. That total is $5,800 per day. CBS 2 has asked the governor for his flight records from this year, though he has yet to supply them. Even still, it is safe to say that hundreds of thousands of dollars were spent this year just so he could sleep in his own bed in Chicago, or make it to a hockey game and back to Springfield for a short time, as he did Wednesday night.
Another viewer asked about the cost of holding special legislative sessions. The governor has thus far called 35 such special sessions, more than all previous governors combined. (Correction: Just the last 40 years.) They cost more than $1 million in salaries and expenses for lawmakers.
And what is his security detail costing taxpayers? CBS 2 observed no less than seven staffed vehicles surrounding the governor's home. Some of the state troopers earn six figures with overtime. It is a conservative estimate, but it costs hundreds of thousands of extra dollars a year to cover the multiple shift changes, squad cars and sport-utility vehicles ferrying Blagojevich all over the state.
Blagojevich needs to be removed from office and the best way to do that is to amend the state constitution to allow recall elections.
But ultimately, we must ask who is to blame for this mess, and besides the Democratic Party of Illinois and its leaders--yes, I'm looking in your direction Senators Obama and Durbin, and House Speaker Madigan, and a whole bunch of others--the slightly over 50 percent of the voters who chose Rod Blagojevich in a three-way race last year are responsible for the man who lives 200 miles away from the seat of government while not governing the state.
People of Illinois: This is your state--take it back.
Amend the constitution. Or write a new one. Recall Blagojevich!
Related post:
Illinois' "governor who cannot govern" doesn't seem to even work
Thanks for the link:
It's My Mind
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