It is understandable President Obama winning reelection in his home state. However, voting in the state races does not make sense. Michael Madigan and the corrupt Chicago machine have controlled this State for decades and have caused the financial destruction we are now facing. It defies common sense to hand even more power to the person who had a major role in creating this mess.
Illinois leads in many categories that are not good for it’s citizens. It has the worst credit rating, the worst debt per capita, the worlds highest corporate tax rate, some of the highest property taxes in the country, and the most corruption. Yet the voters of Illinois gave Speaker Michael Madigan a veto proof majority in the house with 7 Democratic pick ups and Senate President John Cullerton a veto proof majority in the Senate with 4 Democratic pickups. Madigan and the Democrats now have full control of the state of Illinois making the Republican minority and even Governor Quinn virtually irrelevant.
The Madigan maps were a huge factor in these races although not the entire reason. Madigan drew the maps to try and regain the seats they lost in 2010. This gave the Democratic candidates a running start but was not insurmountable for many of the GOP candidates, as polling was showing in the final month; up until election day that is.
There will be much more analysis of the voter turnout data in the coming weeks that will help explain how the GOP suffered such devastating losses. The why will be harder to explain, but from early indications the GOP appeared to show a total lack of leadership. There was no real visits by Romney, except his cash and dash stops. The GOP did a Fire Madigan campaign, but then really didn’t tie all the Democratic candidates to Madigan effectively. The one exception to this was David McSweeney who handily defeated Madigan supported candidate Dee Beaubien. This exception was a result of the McSweeney campaign instead of GOP efforts.
Overall, there is a large leadership vacuum in the GOP. This goes from the top starting with Pat Brady, Tom Cross, Christine Radagno, the Central Committee down to many of the County GOP and Township Chairmen. Precincts were left unwalked, candidates did not work together, and the county chairs did not take charge of either; nor did they run effective GOTV campaigns or election integrity campaigns at the county level. Of course there are exceptions, but overall this was the reality.
Grassroots leaders were stepping up across the state to do the jobs the GOP was neglecting. But without the same resources, they were at a distinct disadvantage. Here are 2 quick examples. Grassroots teams walked 39 of the 80 precincts in one township because the GOP did not. In another, the GOP committeemen pulled literature out of already filled bags because they didn’t want to support one of the candidates. There are more examples from across the state, but these 2 highlight the leadership problems.
If the GOP is serious about returning to power in 2014 and beyond, many current leaders need to resign and be replaced with leaders who want to work and not just be placeholders. The party rebuilding process must start immediately.
Small Business Owner, Education Watchdog, FOIA expert, Founder of For Our Children's Future
concerned taxpayer
i totally agree with your commentary. I never saw one ad for Romney or received any information about Tom Wolfe who was running against the vile Jan Schakowsky in the new 9th district. I had to contact Wolfe myself to get a lawn sign and was probably the only one in the 9th district who had one. This will only increase population flight from Illinois as the financial situation worsens
Jim
Illinois, like many alcoholics, will have to reach rock bottom before a cure is possible.
the slog back to health will be slow and painful. To correct it now would take some common sense and guts which by definition precludes election. So while I hate to retreat, I see no other choice but to leave Illinois to the crooks who run it and scram outta here after a lifetime of living and working here. If enough folks feel the same maybe eventually only the crooks will be left to steal from each other.
Jim
The worst part of all of this is that one can easilly see what is coming and one cannot do a damn thing to stop it.
Wolf
Actually the “voters” have been choosing corruption and fraud for fifty years and it has just grown to an epic size…when every Public Sector employee is a millionaire at retirement and we have such excessive staffing and compensation in the Public Sector the principle problem of the impending default of the state and the nation is crystal clear. Unfortunately the honest hardworking taxpayers will be hurt the most by the criminals that exist throughout the entire Public Sector and their close private sector allies…Under pure Communism from which I escaped the difference between the rich and the poor was clearly defined between the party members and the workers…here our situation is still evolving but every day we see the extortion and unlawful acts of the Public Sector upon its citizens increase…we have even seen outright Treason in the last decade that goes on without being reprimanded or addressed…we have witnessed the benefit the dysfunctional Public Education System provideds the Political Class as the majority of Americans are clueless as to what is Constitutional…case in point the Supreme Court Ruling on the Affordable Care Act where the majority believes that the law still has standing when the ruling clearly stated the term “Penalty” needed to change to a “Tax” which requires the Congress to change the bill/law and pass it again…based on the application of the Separation Powers Clause…it is no wonder that the corruption can thrive in a society that is basically illiterate or dependents of the Political Class…really makes one think how much smarter the 17th Century Forefathers were compared to the present 21st Century Society…in fact today voodoo Science and Economics is practiced repeatedly without question even though it fails each time…but then actual analytic thinking died many decades ago …today the answer can be gotten on the cellphone screen….
Deb Leticia Gordils
It defies common sense that any citizen would cast a vote for some of these candidates..so I suggest, some other likely reasons that Madigan and the Democrats successfully win elections are some of the following:
1.The voter works for the city, state and supports the Democrat system that pays them
2. The voter has an official capacity that benefits from the politicians in office
3. The voter owns a company that benefits from the politicians in office
4. The voter holds a position that may be affected if the leadership changes
5. The voter has misconceptions about political party’s
6.The voter is a Senior citizen and is manipulated into voting unwittingly
7. The voter is mentally challenged and manipulated into voting
8. The voter is dead and their vote has been stolen
9. The voter has moved but the election board continues to deliver the voters ballot to both the new polling place and old polling place resulting in multiple votes cast
10. The voter without a valid registration card is allowed to vote
11. The voter is unaware of how the voting ballots are determined valid or spoiled
12. The voter is unaware of how votes are tallied at the polling place, then transported and counted.
13.The voter assumes the Republican Judge is Republican
14. The voter has no idea who are all the extra helpers at the poll and their role in the vote process
15. The voter assumes fair access to the ballot had occurred and that real choice is present
Just some reasons why I believe Republicans lose at the poll on election night but by far not the only reasons!
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About Lennie Jarratt
Illinois: Voters Choose Self Destruction
It is understandable President Obama winning reelection in his home state. However, voting in the state races does not make sense. Michael Madigan and the corrupt Chicago machine have controlled this State for decades and have caused the financial destruction we are now facing. It defies common sense to hand even more power to the person who had a major role in creating this mess.
Illinois leads in many categories that are not good for it’s citizens. It has the worst credit rating, the worst debt per capita, the worlds highest corporate tax rate, some of the highest property taxes in the country, and the most corruption. Yet the voters of Illinois gave Speaker Michael Madigan a veto proof majority in the house with 7 Democratic pick ups and Senate President John Cullerton a veto proof majority in the Senate with 4 Democratic pickups. Madigan and the Democrats now have full control of the state of Illinois making the Republican minority and even Governor Quinn virtually irrelevant.
The Madigan maps were a huge factor in these races although not the entire reason. Madigan drew the maps to try and regain the seats they lost in 2010. This gave the Democratic candidates a running start but was not insurmountable for many of the GOP candidates, as polling was showing in the final month; up until election day that is.
There will be much more analysis of the voter turnout data in the coming weeks that will help explain how the GOP suffered such devastating losses. The why will be harder to explain, but from early indications the GOP appeared to show a total lack of leadership. There was no real visits by Romney, except his cash and dash stops. The GOP did a Fire Madigan campaign, but then really didn’t tie all the Democratic candidates to Madigan effectively. The one exception to this was David McSweeney who handily defeated Madigan supported candidate Dee Beaubien. This exception was a result of the McSweeney campaign instead of GOP efforts.
Overall, there is a large leadership vacuum in the GOP. This goes from the top starting with Pat Brady, Tom Cross, Christine Radagno, the Central Committee down to many of the County GOP and Township Chairmen. Precincts were left unwalked, candidates did not work together, and the county chairs did not take charge of either; nor did they run effective GOTV campaigns or election integrity campaigns at the county level. Of course there are exceptions, but overall this was the reality.
Grassroots leaders were stepping up across the state to do the jobs the GOP was neglecting. But without the same resources, they were at a distinct disadvantage. Here are 2 quick examples. Grassroots teams walked 39 of the 80 precincts in one township because the GOP did not. In another, the GOP committeemen pulled literature out of already filled bags because they didn’t want to support one of the candidates. There are more examples from across the state, but these 2 highlight the leadership problems.
If the GOP is serious about returning to power in 2014 and beyond, many current leaders need to resign and be replaced with leaders who want to work and not just be placeholders. The party rebuilding process must start immediately.
Illinois House Results
Illinois Senate Results