Blagojevich: Getting Things Done for People by Dan Proft

Getting Things Done for People.

That was the slogan of Rod Blagojevich's 2006 re-election campaign. Who would have thought a phrase so utterly devoid of meaning would foretell such truth?

Governor Blagojevich was certainly getting things done for people--for himself, for his wife, for his campaign contributors, and for just about anyone who was willing to pay sticker price for government spoils.

Given the starkness of the schemes as recorded in Blagojevich's own words, flabbergasted Illinoisans are wondering how a Governor could be so brazen. After all, in what undiscovered dimension lives a man who conceptualizes a run for the Presidency in 2016 while strategizing about an indictment he seemed to fully anticipate?

The French philosopher Baudelaire once wrote, "True genius is the ability to hold two contradictory thoughts simultaneously without losing your mind." Blagojevich's contradictions proved instead that the simultaneous exercise of stupidity and arrogance loses one his freedo m.

And so over the next several months Blagojevich's fate will wind to its inexorable end, beginning next week when the Illinois General Assembly moves to impeach him.

As this occurs, I have a humble request of my fellow Illinoisans.

Don't get fooled again. Don't get suckered by the contrived and self-righteous hand-wringing by the very people who twice shepherded Blagojevich to the Governor's mansion.

Those Chicago Democrats that are lining up to spit on his political grave because they covet his office are the same Chicago Democrats who brought you the last six sordid years of Blagojevich rule.

Those Chicago Democrats didn't walk away from Blagojevich (for those that ever did) over policy concerns or ethical pangs of conscience; they walked away because Blagojevich didn't do what they wanted him to do when they wanted him to do it.

He committed the mortal sin of cooking up his own illicit schemes instead of executing theirs--and he turned out to not be nearly as adept at it as they are.

Who are the "they"? They are the eight members of the "Chicago 9" (the 9 Chicago Democrats who control $70B worth of government and 125,000 public sector jobs in Illinois) not arrested yesterday. Their names are Rich Daley, Mike Madigan, Lisa Madigan, Jesse White, Dan Hynes, Alexi Giannoulias, Todd Stroger, and Emil Jones.

Remember those names. Write them down. And remember the outrage you feel now when the next opportunity you have to vote against them presents itself.

---

Dan Proft is a Principal of Urquhart Media LLC, a Chicago-based public affairs firm and political commentator for the Don Wade & Roma Morning Show (5-9am) on Chicago's number one news talk radio station, WLS-AM 890. He can be reached at dan@urqmedia.com.

For other Dan Proft commentaries (radio & print), please visit: http://www.urqmedia.com/proft/

For other recent Don Wade & Roma interviews, commen tary, and discussions visit: http://www.wlsam.com/sectional.asp?id=16410