I wasn't planning on expressing my opinion online again for quite a while, as I'm busy writing a proposal for a book chock full of my opinions (bless my patient agent). I figured the world should be spared my sarcasm, until my book launch.But two acquaintances, both of whom work in the politics biz, said that I should comment on recent news concerning an Illinois politician. I had not heard this news. I've been avoiding the news, because it's chock full of idiots saying profound things such as, "Studies reveal that we are in a recession, and have been for an entire YEAR!," and "In order to get through these hards times, you may want to consider giving up cable."
Despite the possibility that I might end up throwing something at the TV while yelling, "The Middle Class may have to give up cable?! Oh, the horror!", I watched the evening news.
Do politicians wake up, turn on the news or pick up the paper, and say, "Golly, I wonder if any of my fellow Servants of the People has done anything to deepen the cynicism and mistrust of the general public towards elected officials? Can I go to work with my head held high? Or should I peek out the curtains to see if the slavering media hyenas are packed on the sidewalk, wanting my comment on the f***-up of some dunderhead?"
I'm not sure why Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich thought he'd get away with it.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081210/ap_on_re_us/illinois_governor
("CHICAGO – Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was roused from bed and arrested Tuesday after prosecutors said he was caught on wiretaps audaciously scheming to sell Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat for cash or a plum job for himself in the new administration. "I've got this thing and it's (expletive) golden," the 51-year-old Democrat said of his authority to appoint Obama's replacement, "and I'm just not giving it up for (expletive) nothing. I'm not gonna do it.")
Probably for the same reasons Larry Craig and John Edwards thought they'd get away with it. It makes me tired. It makes me want to say to the two politicians I know, "Why'd you get into this business? Yeah, yeah, the public good, helping your community. C'mon, seriously."
YahooNews reports, "As recently as Monday, he (Blagojevich) told reporters: 'I don't care whether you tape me privately or publicly. I can tell you that whatever I say is always lawful.'" Did he think no one would take him up on it? "Gee, he's dared us to tape him, publicly or privately! That means he's definitely on the up and up! Forget him, let's find out what Sarah Palin's doing."
YahooNews also reported, "Blagojevich, a former congressman, state lawmaker and prosecutor, also was charged with illegally threatening to withhold state assistance to Tribune Co., owner of the Chicago Tribune, in an attempt to strong-arm the newspaper into firing editorial writers who had criticized him."
Has this tactic worked since Tammany Hall and the Teapot Dome Scandal? It didn't even work then. Political cartoonist Thomas Nast still made "those damn pictures," and Boss Tweed went to jail. Speaking as a former political/editorial cartoonist, if I were fired for any reason other than corruption or incompetence, that wouldn't shut me up. It'd make me dig even deeper and express my opinion even louder. What the heck made Blagojevich think that, even if they were fired, the editorial writers would slink off quietly and leave him alone? What kind of Napoleon Complex does this moron have?
You have to have an ego to run for office. Hell, you have to have an ego to write rants on Blogger and believe anyone reads them. But ego can be a good thing, if it drives a person to try to improve the world. Public service can make concrete contributions to society: A new library or a youth center, for example. You must have an ego to believe you can make that contribution.
But how can we voters tell which candidate has healthy ambition, and which is going to end up on the evening news in handcuffs? What litmus test could we create? Obviously, the people of Illinois who voted in Blagojevich thought he was honest. I assume. I dunno, maybe they said, "Y'know, they're all crooks anyway. Let's elect the guy we know is gonna screw things up."
Cynical as I am, I want to look at the politicians I know personally and believe they're good guys, and that in the future I won't be saying to a co-worker, "Isn't that so-and-so on CNN? Why is he in a squad car?" I want to believe that President-Elect Obama isn't sitting with Biden, laughing his head off and saying, "Can you believe they fell for that?!"
Enough. Time for me to go back to writing about how employees hate their managers. If I'm going to be cynical, I may as well get an advance for it.
By the way...I'm going to see FROST/NIXON. Wanna join me?
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