Tribune: Illinois' endless history of greed

So I wonder who did Illinois gain its reputation for corruption by her public officials. Indeed one could ask how deep was this corruption. This Trib article should answer some questions.

Corruption has been embedded in Illinois' political DNA since pioneer days. European immigrants found jobs and housing easier to come by if they helped keep the powers-that-be in power.

"The social compact in this state was built on corruption," said Cindi Canary, director of the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform. "It worked very well for some people."

In the 1880s, the utilities and streetcar companies that helped transform the city into an industrial powerhouse gained exclusive franchises through huge payoffs to public officials. By Prohibition, Al Capone had much of City Hall and the police force in his pocket.

Well I should have you know the article didn't start with discussing the history of corruption in Illinois, but it does start in the present day with what happened with our former governor, Rod Blagojevich. This article says a lot about him, but let's start at the beginning:

We've put an impressive collection of cheats and boodlers into public office over the decades, and the public outcry has never led to more than a token crackdown by government.

So why should the curious case of Rod Blagojevich now make things different? One reason, perhaps, is that the December arrest of Illinois' now-ousted governor has reduced Illinois politics to a late-night TV punch line. ("Scumdog Million-Hairs" is Jon Stewart's nickname for the amply maned Blagojevich.)

That's it? Isn't there more about Rod Blagojevich in this article and perhaps the current enviroment the state finds itself in after the state legislature fired him from his post as Governor.

Well this passage makes the most sense to me...

Rod Blagojevich didn't invent crooked politics in Illinois, though if the charges of rampant shakedowns and hanging a "for sale" sign on a vacant U.S. Senate seat are true—and he insists they are not—he may have raised the art form.

Another episode worth noting even though this article offers some statistics on how many Illinois pols; well Cook County Judges, Illinois Governors, Chicago Aldermen and businessmen; have been sent to jail for corruption. I'm sure most of you who read this blog remember this episode.

A decade ago, then-City Treasurer Miriam Santos skipped the nuance and went to prison for ordering a city contractor to "belly up" with a $10,000 contribution—or else. The irony was that Santos tried the squeeze to meet a fundraising quota demanded of her by state Democratic Party Chairman Michael Madigan, who was not implicated.

It looks like he may be a part of the change since the former governor was fired from office. Is Illinois truly ready for reform?

As Illinois House Speaker, Madigan is spearheading the legislature's post-Blagojevich reform drive. He has been a Springfield powerhouse for nearly four decades and no one has ever accused him of being a change agent. That may be a secret to his longevity, explained Rutgers University political scientist Alan Rosenthal.

"Members are comfortable with the rules they've played by, and when you change those rules there's increased uncertainty and members don't like it," said Rosenthal, an expert on ethics in state legislatures.

If the status quo is finally broken, in a perverse sense we may have Rod Blagojevich to thank.

"Right this moment we have the perfect storm of scandal, public anger, a huge financial crisis and a citizenry not completely sure they still trust the foxes to guard the henhouse. Not to mention we are an international joke." Canary said.

"All of these things combine to give us an opening we've never had before."

I just hope that the actors in Illinois' political system are serious about making a change because we already seen one possible result of corruption at the state's highest level!