And Chicago (and Illinois) still may not be ready.

A few weeks ago I heard someone on radio mention that Obama got the US senate seat because Chicago pols wanted him out of the state instead of in the Illinois governorship — they didn’t want him playing in their back yard anymore.

The Blago office-selling flap raises interesting questions.

Let’s all watch to see if any dots appear between ethics changes that Blago wanted and the US senate seat ’scandal’.

Chicago has seen much worse than the sale of political office, and in fact speaking of sale of political offices, if local pols are so offended about the sale of a senate seat, where were they when Mayor Daley held back Cook County’s vote talley the night Cook County elected Jack Kennedy? And which judge promised Joe Kennedy his kid would be elected by Chicago?

This paragraph from the ethics change story is something that for sure would set Chicago machine policians’ hair on fire:

“Blagojevich last month used his amendatory veto power to expand the contractor donation ban to lawmakers and all state officeholders. He also tried to change how pay raises would be voted on, bar lawmakers from holding most other government jobs and require them to more fully disclose lobbying work”

With lawmakers and state office-holders’ ‘donations’ from contractors, self-voted pay raises, and other sources of off-the-books income in jeopardy, you better believe that the whole state legislature, not to mention every Chicago machine politician past, present, and future would want Blago gone.

From the ‘reform’ story: “Let’s go ahead and give the people of the state of Illinois what they want and what they deserve,” Fritchey said

Oh yeah. And he was using the one-finger salute to let his audience know exactly what he meant.

Cynical? Yes, but I’ve been living in and near Chicago since Hizzoner was king…er, I mean Mayor.

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“Is Illinois ready for ethics?

The House undid in about two minutes the sweeping ethics reform rewrite Blagojevich spent two months putting together.

The House voted 110-3 for the original version of House Bill 824 that lawmakers passed in May. That version would bar people with state contracts worth $50,000 or more from making political donations to state officeholders overseeing the contracts.

Blagojevich also issued an executive order effective Jan. 1 barring people with high-dollar contracts with agencies under his control from giving donations to any state officeholders or lawmakers.

Blagojevich last month used his amendatory veto power to expand the contractor donation ban to lawmakers and all state officeholders. He also tried to change how pay raises would be voted on, bar lawmakers from holding most other government jobs and require them to more fully disclose lobbying work.

Rep. John Fritchey, D-Chicago, said lawmakers should consider the changes in separate bills that he filed Wednesday, not in a take-it-or-leave-it vote.

“Let’s go ahead and give the people of the state of Illinois what they want and what they deserve,” Fritchey said.

The vote came just hours after Blagojevich had urged lawmakers not to override his changes because he fears they will be stalled if they’re put into separate bills.

If the measure isn’t voted on in the Senate within 15 days, the entire bill and the changes die.”

1. Roland Burris should be confirmed on the merits of his outstanding record of public service.

2. Impeachment proceedings against Governor Blagojevich should be initiated ASAP.

3. If so warranted by discovery during the impeachment proceedings, criminal charges against Governor Blagojevich should be filed. If an indictment is brought against Blagojevich, he should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

4. Bobby Rush should be held accountable for his inciting remarks and made to explain his reasons for the choice in vocabulary.

Does anyone think it is more than a bit inappropriate for Rush to use the ole’ “hang’em/lynch’em” language. No one is supposing that the Senate would not seat Burris because of his race and to illicite such historically charged imagery seems totally out of place, inappropriate and a naked race play.

The silence is deafening coming out the guilty-ridden chambers of Starbucks. No magic touch for this poor guy.