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The most important election in Illinois.

specious_reasons

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Jul 23, 2002
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Well, I just voted in the most important election in Illinois today. It was most certainly not the Presidential primary. I'm talking about the race for the Junior US Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Fitzgerald.

Fitzgerald is an independent minded Republican, who was not going to get any financial backing from his party. Rather than spend his own wealth, he decided not to run again.

Well, the field's wide open, with 8 Republicans and 7 Democrats.

Not surprisingly I voted Democrat. Dan Hynes. I figure it's time to put more fiscally responsible Dems into Washington. They do exist, you know.

What blows my mind, though: Fitzgerald was fairly well respected, there was a decent chance for him to win, although I was assuming it was going to be a tough battle. Why did the Republican Party refuse to back someone with a chance to win, rather than gamble on an entirely new candidate, who, in my opinion, seems likely to lose?
 
shemp said:
Because if there's anything Republican party bigwigs hate more than a Democrat, it's a Republican who doesn't toe the line.

(Yes, same thing can be said for the Dems.)
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I think that's pretty much it.
 
shemp said:
Because if there's anything Republican party bigwigs hate more than a Democrat, it's a Republican who doesn't toe the line.

(Yes, same thing can be said for the Dems.)
Click to expand...

Ditto Labor, National and Liberal parties is Australia.

Oh, and "New" Labour (sp?) and whoever is in opposition at the moment in Britain (it's been so long since they've done anything except vote their leaders out, I forget what they're called... Conservationist?)
 
shemp said:
Because if there's anything Republican party bigwigs hate more than a Democrat, it's a Republican who doesn't toe the line.

(Yes, same thing can be said for the Dems.)
Click to expand...

That's kinda what I thought, too.

I'm just bemused at the self-destructive behavior. How much of a margin do the Reps have in the Senate?
 
Mr Manifesto said:


Ditto Labor, National and Liberal parties is Australia.

Oh, and "New" Labour (sp?) and whoever is in opposition at the moment in Britain (it's been so long since they've done anything except vote their leaders out, I forget what they're called... Conservationist?)
Click to expand...
WHAT?
There's an opposition?
When did that happen?
Why wasn't anyone in this country informed?
 
Originally posted by specious_reasons
Not surprisingly I voted Democrat. Dan Hynes. I figure it's time to put more fiscally responsible Dems into Washington. They do exist, you know.
Click to expand...

Now if only we could find some fiscally responsible Republicans...
 
BTW if the Democrat wins, where does that leave the Senate Republican/Democrat balance?
 
shemp said:
Because if there's anything Republican party bigwigs hate more than a Democrat, it's a Republican who doesn't toe the line.

(Yes, same thing can be said for the Dems.)
Click to expand...
It's tow the line, Shemp! Though maybe you do actually tie it to your toe. :D

The reason that Fitzgerald wasn't supported by his party is that for years the Democrats and Republicans in this thoroughly corrupted state have been wheeling and dealing w/ each other in order to get fat government contracts, favors, jobs, hookers (I'm not kidding!), etc. to their families and friends. Peter Fitzgerald had the gall to bring in a new Federal prosecutor (also named Fitzgerald, though there's no relation) w/ absolutely no ties to the cozy Illinois Dem/Rep. political gimmee gimmee gimmee establishment.

This new prosecutor then actually launched investigations, issued subpoenas, secured indictments, and later even convictions. This really, really pissed off the Republican and Dem machine bosses, who were ready to launch an all-out smear campaign against him if he dared to run for a second term.

I didn't always agree w/ Fitzgerald on the issues (especially O'Hare expansion), but he did what he said he'd do in his campaign and never wavered on his promises. Also didn't fold to the intense political pressure to name (the junior senator from the state gets to pick the Fed prosecutors) a more Illinois-politician friendly prosecutor.

This is what happens to honest politicians in Illinois. :(

I will miss Fitzgerald.
 
WildCat said:

It's tow the line, Shemp! Though maybe you do actually tie it to your toe. :D
(snip)
This is what happens to honest politicians in Illinois. :(

I will miss Fitzgerald.
Click to expand...

Actually, it is toe the line. As in keeping your feet on the line.

I might have voted for Fitzgerald if a weak Democratic candidate was put up against him. There is always something to be said for an honest politician.

As it turns out it looks like the Illinos Senate race is going to be Barack "the ghost of Paul Simon endorsed me" Obama, and Jack "I bedded Seven of Nine" Ryan.

Obama was my second choice, so I'm relatively happy.
 
specious_reasons said:


Actually, it is toe the line. As in keeping your feet on the line.
Click to expand...
:hit: Crap! I've been misunderstanding that forever. How embarassing! But actually, the meaning was much the same, at least in my head. :p

I might have voted for Fitzgerald if a weak Democratic candidate was put up against him. There is always something to be said for an honest politician.

As it turns out it looks like the Illinos Senate race is going to be Barack "the ghost of Paul Simon endorsed me" Obama, and Jack "I bedded Seven of Nine" Ryan.

Obama was my second choice, so I'm relatively happy.
Click to expand...

So we've got Jack and Barack (unfortunately, they don't rhyme).

Jack is good looking (his radio ad said so) and, as you've said, is the ex-husband of 7 of 9 herself.

Barack endorsed Carol Mosely Braun for president, and is black. I wouldn't mention that if media reports didn't describe him almost exclusively as only that.

Obama will be the big favorite in November. The Republican party is in shambles here (and rightfully so), and for some reason everyone wants the sealed Ryan divorce records opened up. Ryan has refused, but it's likely the Dems already have a copy and are just waiting for the right moment to lay it on him. I wonder what he's hiding?
 
shemp said:
Because if there's anything Republican party bigwigs hate more than a Democrat, it's a Republican who doesn't toe the line.

(Yes, same thing can be said for the Dems.)
Click to expand...

And I want to know, what do you call it when you use funds to coerce a vote from a legislator?
 
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