George Ryan calls for Illinois Constitutional Convention

Tattered Illinois flag

Sure he's an ex-con. But former Illinois governor George Ryan, who also served a term as speaker of the Illinois House, is not bereft of great ideas.

Ryan is calling for a state Constitutional Convention as a way to get Illinois out of the fiscal ditch.

"A Constitutional Convention can deal with how to pay off the debt and get the state straightened around. Once convened, it can amend or completely rewrite the state's constitution; deal with finances and taxes; give the Legislature power to change the pension laws; and give the state an opportunity to work on the financial changes they need to pay off the debt," the Republican told the Chicago Sun-Times' Michael Sneed.

"We're heading for our bonds to go into a junk rating! It’s costing the state billions," Ryan added.

UPDATE 11:15am CDT: I'm already getting pushback on Facebook over this post. As I commented there, "We can't be too choosy in this time of crisis. As Winston Churchill said of his alliance with Joseph Stalin, 'If Hitler invaded hell I would make at least a favourable reference to the devil in the House of Commons.'"