Marking "His" Territory
Lots of animals mark their territories.
Dogs pee. Politicians put up signs with their names on them.
During a campaign, yard signs mark current and, sometimes, eventually hoped for territories.
When a new president of the Cook County Board takes office, the signs in the Forest Preserve are changed to reflect that fact.
Back in 1973, the “People’s” Governor, Dan Walker, the man who somehow captivated the media by walking from the bottom of Illinois to the Wisconsin border, decided that he did not need to put his name on the state’s welcoming signs.
When Walker made the announcement, I was in my first year in Springfield, just as was he. I sent him a congratulatory letter and a press release of praise to local papers.
How ironic that it took over 30 years for a subsequent governor--Rod Blagojevich--to decide to undue that good work of his Democratic Party predecessor.
No longer do just the people of Illinois welcome visitors. Not now that Rod's name is on the sign.
Even the little "welcome to Illinois" on Route 47 north of Hebron has it.
But, that was not enough.
As Jon Hilkevitch writes in his “Getting Around” column in today’s Chicago Tribune, the new
Open Road Tolling – Rod R. Blagojevich, Governorsigns sprouting on all the toll roads cost $15,000 apiece.
“The signs, mounted on steel monotubes above the open-road tolling lanes, require special materials and galvanized brackets that the tollway sign shop cannot install,” the reporter explained.
Tollway spokesman Kathleen Cantillon explained,
We consider it an important sign.Right.
Important politically.
At least pee is free. It doesn’t waste our tax money.
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The Chicago Tribune has a poll on its web site on whether the new blue Blagojevich signs are worth $15,000.
At 2:15 Monday afternoon 7.7% (600) were in favor, while 92.7% (7,756) voted, "No."
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More good stuff at McHenry County Blog.
7 comments:
You sicken me Cal. Rod is the best thing to happen to Illinois since Lincoln. We should be airing commercials in other states for ALLKIDS because it is a perfect peace of legislation. Never post here again, and the world will be a better palce.
Typical Republican: fat, white, and not fighting in Iraq.
govs have alway had their names on signs at the borders, nothing new there. Thats why the Sec of State office holds the next governor so much recently.
I think it is ironic considering blago/quinns previous "opposition" to the tollway. The name on the open road signs should be the tollway commissioner, not blago.
run on thoughts, sorry...anyway this is nothing shocking that the govs name would be on a state purchased sign. He's done worse things than this...
Note to the Algonquin Round Table above - the first poster is obviously being sarcastic (badly).
Post for me your PayPal info, and I might consider selling you all a clue.
600 people in favor??? Wow. I didn't think the Gov. had the attention span to vote 600 times in one poll...
Yes, he has done worse things, far worse and it's only a matter of time before it catches up with him. Anyone ever heard of a state agency called Office of Healthcare Purchasing? An amazing place led by people who don't know what they're doing but from a brief observation, it appears they are trying to purchase healthcare for various government entities by circumventing the open bidding laws.
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