NationStates Jolt Archive

In the US, it's been revealed that Illinois' Governor Blagojevich (hope I spelled that right) would accept bribes in exchange for an apponitment to President-elect Obama's Senate seat. Do you think he should resign?

"Should" doesn't even enter into it. If he had any sense about what he "should" do, he'd be out of there ages ago.

Yep. With that kind of honesty he'll never make a good politican.

Even Obama thinks he should resign:
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2008/12/10/obama-official-blagojevich-resign/

"Should" doesn't even enter into it. If he had any sense about what he "should" do, he'd be out of there ages ago.

I agree, the state government has been corrupt for many years, there's a lot of politicans here in Illinois that should resign/be impeached.

Even Obama thinks he should resign:
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2008/12/10/obama-official-blagojevich-resign/

"An error occurred while processing your request.

Reference #97.172c3bc3.1228931921.16ee86c7"

I assume this will be the default way Fox will publish any positive stories about Obama.:p

No. Anti-corruption measures are fundamentally un-American. He should stand up for his democratic right to sell seats in high office to the highest bidder.

I'm from Illinois and actually not surprised. Before I go any farther let me state I'm a democrat and have been waiting for a better governor for ever. I just hope the next one is not as corrupt as the past two.

I'm from Illinois and actually not surprised. Before I go any farther let me state I'm a democrat and have been waiting for a better governor for ever. I just hope the next one is not as corrupt as the past two.

Actually, since the 1970s, you've had three Illinois governors go to jail.

Id like to see him impeached. Not because hes corrupt, all though thats what hed be charged with. Mostly just because he is a moron and I hate him.

Then again, his Lt. Gov is made a epic fail too.

Actually, since the 1970s, you've had three Illinois governors go to jail.

go back just one more decade and you pick up another. and theirs is the awesomest story, since they got found out because the bribes were deducted off on the briber's taxes on the theory that they were a normal business expense in illinois.

go back just one more decade and you pick up another. and theirs is the awesomest story, since they got found out because the bribes were deducted off on the briber's taxes on the theory that they were a normal business expense in illinois.

10 bucks that if the current Lt Gov becomes Governor, he goes to jail, too.

Power blinds people. I think he will be impeached.

This is nothing new in Illinois or many other states for that matter. I really like Mark Twain's definition of a corrupt judge. When he lived in Virginia City and judicial corruption was rampant, he defined a corrupt judge as one that wouldn't stay bought.

He shouldn't-after all, his problem this time has a lot more to do with being caught, than being innovative in how he was abusing his office. This is a chicago Politician we're talking about here.

Besides, the money the state can save by having him in a central location like Joliet for the remainder of his term, instead of spending six grand per day commuting from Chicago to Springfield?

Actually, since the 1970s, you've had three Illinois governors go to jail.

And not the shitty, junior grade jail that Ohio's previous governor, Taft, went to because he was a moron. No, they've gone to serious pound-you-in-the-ass jail. And Fitzgerald has done his best to ensure that Blago gets to spend as much time there as possible.

Epic (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/andy-borowitz/blagojevich-offers-senate_b_149692.html):
In what is being called one of the most daring escape attempts in the history of law enforcement, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich today offered the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama to the FBI agent who took him into Federal custody this morning.

According to U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, the astonishing escape attempt occurred moments after Mr. Blagojevich was handcuffed by the agent, who was wearing a wire and captured the entire expletive-laden offer on tape.

"'You can be the [bleeping] junior Senator from [bleeping] Illinois if you let me out of these [bleeping] handcuffs,'" Mr. Fitzgerald read from a transcript. "'And if that mother-[bleeper] Barack Obama tries to [bleep] with me, I'll [bleep] him up.'"

According to Mr. Fitzgerald, "When I say 'bleep,' he didn't really say 'bleep' on the tape," adding, "I'm going to keep making that joke until one of you [bleepers] laughs at it."

Gov. Blagojevich has been charged with a laundry list of Federal crimes, including stealing his haircut from the dad on "The Brady Bunch."

Epic (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/andy-borowitz/blagojevich-offers-senate_b_149692.html):

*Puts on Nostradamus hat*

http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=14288662&postcount=12

*Puts on Nostradamus hat*

http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=14288662&postcount=12
wow you should do this professionally!

I stand here though (sit here, actually) in defense of Governor Blagojevich. While he may have tried to sell a US Senate seat, held up kids' hospital funding waiting for some kickbacks and tried to gangplank journalists he didn't like through extortion, at least he didn't cheat on his wife like Elliot Spitzer and John Edwards. In fact, this faithful husband even tried to dip into his shakedown skims and get ransom money to secure his wife a grifter job. That's got to be a Cosmo cover line on a 10-great-qualities-in-a-husband story.

He was a faithful family man and let's remember that's important because family is everything good about America.

Unlike that complete crook John Edwards.

And not the shitty, junior grade jail that Ohio's previous governor, Taft, went to because he was a moron. No, they've gone to serious pound-you-in-the-ass jail. And Fitzgerald has done his best to ensure that Blago gets to spend as much time there as possible.

All Fitzgerald had to do was record the conversation. It's Blago that's trying really, really hard to go to Joliet.

He was a faithful family man and let's remember that's important because family is everything good about America.

Unlike that complete crook John Edwards.

as a friend of mine and i discussed, scandals just won't stick without sex or the reckless endangerment of the childrens. preferably both! otherwise, who cares, eh?

I am so glad that pecker will be gone. He's an ass.

I love how hard the conservatives talk show hosts and bloggers are twisting and squirming trying to make this about Obama. Even after Obama is elected, all they can do is to try to make guilt by association stick.

I said yes he should on the poll. but I mean he shouldn't.
He should be forced to sit through an impeachment and trial in the legislature.
All broadcast on CSpan.

You know what, he should resign, but he won't. You know, he was actually thinking about taking the Senate seat for himself, with plans to run for president in 2016? Blago is insane, we should have realised when he put his name over every toll plaza in the state.

Here is the best reason why he should resign. In on of the phone conversations the FBI recorded he is talking to a fund raiser, about talking to some on who works for one of the potential candidates, and he actually says something along the lines of, be careful, don't use the phone, see him in person, assume everyone is listening. This is while he is talking on the phone. With stupidity like that, he deserves to be in prison, and one Mr. Todd Stroger deserves to be right next to him. If only we could charge politicians with Stupidity, Todd Stroger is dumber that Bush. During a speech, he couldn't pronounce a word, he actually said Uh-oh, while trying to pronounce it, than said, "I'm gonna skip that word." He also confused dessert with desert, when talking about a lack of hospitals, the south side of Chicago may become a hospital dessert, doesn't really make sense, does it.

Epic (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/andy-borowitz/blagojevich-offers-senate_b_149692.html):

................

Is that satire? Please tell me thats satire.

................

Is that satire? Please tell me thats satire.

Read the last line. Ask again.

Read the last line. Ask again.

Fuck you:p


I had to clarify, because I know the Huffington Post is legit, and I can see Blaggo pulling this.

In the US, it's been revealed that Illinois' Governor Blagojevich (hope I spelled that right) would accept bribes in exchange for an apponitment to President-elect Obama's Senate seat. Do you think he should resign?

I think he shouldn't be allowed to resign. He should be impeached asap, tried and removed (if guilty).

Anyway, having the governor stepping in to appoint a substitute senator is simply idiotic. New elections would be far better.

I'm about to indulge in some flagrant ethnic stereotyping....

But he is, well, a Serb. The Serbs aren't precisely known for their untrammelled dedication to constitutional principles and a root and branch commitment against corruption.

None of the Russians I know (starting with my wife) are even in the slightest bit surprised. Ditto my Serbia-born (but ethnically-Russian) mother-in-law. Whether Russians are best-placed to judge is another matter, but the ones I know think it's hilarious.

I'm not saying that all Serbs are corrupt, or that he's corrupt just because he's a Serb, nor am I trying to deny the long-standing problems in Illinois politics; but his family does come from a culture where mutual back-scratching and favours are part and parcel of the political process.

I'm about to indulge in some flagrant ethnic stereotyping....

But he is, well, a Serb. The Serbs aren't precisely known for their untrammelled dedication to constitutional principles and a root and branch commitment against corruption.

None of the Russians I know (starting with my wife) are even in the slightest bit surprised. Ditto my Serbia-born (but ethnically-Russian) mother-in-law. Whether Russians are best-placed to judge is another matter, but the ones I know think it's hilarious.

I'm not saying that all Serbs are corrupt, or that he's corrupt just because he's a Serb, nor am I trying to deny the long-standing problems in Illinois politics; but his family does come from a culture where mutual back-scratching and favours are part and parcel of the political process.

Wow... just.... wow.

Wow... just.... wow.

Because I'm showing a hitherto unsuspected and highly unjustified streak of potentially demeaning ethnic stereotyping?

Or something else?

Have I unfairly characterised Serbian politics over the last decade, perhaps?

This was too much...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/iowahawk_blog/3097265339/sizes/o/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/iowahawk_blog/3097265387/sizes/o/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/iowahawk_blog/3098105330/sizes/o/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/iowahawk_blog/3097265387/sizes/o/in/photostream/

you can tell its fake because it says "couldn't get a jab as a grocery bagger at jewel" rather than "at the jewels". jewel in proper chicagoese requires the definite article and the incorrect possessive/plural.

amateurs!

you can tell its fake because it says "couldn't get a jab as a grocery bagger at jewel" rather than "at the jewels". jewel in proper chicagoese requires the definite article and the incorrect possessive/plural.

amateurs!

Yes, it's fake, because it's supposed to be a joke.

You can't get any more humorless than Free Soviets.

Yes, it's fake, because it's supposed to be a joke.

You can't get any more humorless than Free Soviets.

yes, exactly

I think he shouldn't be allowed to resign. He should be impeached asap, tried and removed (if guilty).

Anyway, having the governor stepping in to appoint a substitute senator is simply idiotic. New elections would be far better.

The only issue with that is, where are you going to get the money for a special election? Illinois is already in horrible debt, they are cutting back everywhere, and you want them to spend money? I think funding child advocates ranks a bit higher than this, and that's already been cut way back.

you can tell its fake because it says "couldn't get a jab as a grocery bagger at jewel" rather than "at the jewels". jewel in proper chicagoese requires the definite article and the incorrect possessive/plural.

amateurs!

unless they meant the singer and not the store...

unless they meant the singer and not the store...

good point