Quinn still calling for a recall amendment

In his three decade political career, some say as a gadfly, Illinois' new governor Patrick Quinn has called for the ability for voters to recall officials.

He still favors it.

Last year a recall amendment bill was approved by the Illinois House. But it died in the state Senate, falling three votes short of the needed to place the amendment on November's ballot.

All of the Republican members, save one who was not in Springfield when the vote was taken, voted for the bill. Two Democrats voted "present."

Rod Blagojevich's best friend in Springfield, then-Senate Majority Leader Emil Jones (D-Chicago), a Barack Obama mentor, quashed the bill, claiming public works projects and universal health care were more important.

That's called changing the subject.

Then-Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson (R-Greenville) had this to say that day about the bill's defeat:

To give the people an opportunity to have a vote on this, and slam it down as they did ... I've never seen a quicker roll call taken. I never thought it was going to get a true hearing and I don't think it did today.

I hope I have the opportunity to vote on a recall amendement in 2010. But Patrick Quinn needs to lean on members of his own party to get the job done.

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