GSPM Blog

(This article is written by Ashley Selmon) 

Just when you thought that the saga was over in Illinois politics, Senator Roland Burris (D-IL) managed to keep it interesting.  

As if it was not bad enough that the people of Illinois had their pride in Barack Obama tarnished by then-Governor Blagojevich, Illinois now finds that the senator chosen to replace President Obama may have been less-than-truthful when he told the Illinois senate that he had acquired his appointment with virtue.

 Current Illinois Governor Pat Quinn is now calling for Sen. Burris to resign under the cloud of suspicion that he was too actively involved in seeking the Senate seat.

 Although it's funny to joke about the mess that is Illinois politics, it's sad that an entire state is in the news for all the wrong reasons.  Whether it be the conditions in Peoria, IL (one of the communities worst hit by the recession) or the unreliable representation of Illinois' elected officials, Illinois has become the laughing stock of the Union.

 As a voter, I don't even know how optimistic I am about a 2010 election. During the last election cycle, Illinois voters were so disenchanted with Illinois politics that Rich Whitney, the Gubernatorial candidate for Illinois' Green Party, received more than 10% of the vote. Besides weakening Fmr. Governor Blagojevich's claims that he as a man elected by the people (he may have been elected, but not happily), it leaves voters to only hope that the choices for all Illinois parties will be better in 2010.

And maybe, just maybe, Illinois will elect a governor whose name the national media will be able to pronounce :)