The problem here is not so much the players as the culture. None of the political leadership from Illinois has proven to be adverse to their constituency. It is the 'political culture' that is in question and while someone like Jesse Jackson, Jr. tried to impune the political machine of Illinois (Which as a bad rap from the OLD Mayor Richard Daley Days) by 'chronic complaints to federal prosecutors, there has never been solid evidence of same.
By the way, the NAACP has taken no overt stand on the assignment of Burris to the Senate and that is simply wrong and politically protective through isolation. (click here)
Neither has The Urban League, but, they are pushing for the 'Simulus' to support its interests. (click here)
This is such a 'hot issue' that no one wants to touch it and if it weren't for the 'solid and simple resolve' of Rod Blagojevich there would be no approach of the subject. It is my opinion that everyone thinks this taints the Obama Presidency. The opposite is true. The stronger the rights of people under Due Process the stronger the Democracy.
That said.
Just a note about "The Daley Days" to add some 'reason' to the irrational 'environment' currently.
The political culture of the USA has developed over time, no different than its technologies and economies. 'Back in the Day' there were all sorts of 'political machines,' including those in Tammany Hall. There were strong holds of 'ethnicities' as well across the country in places like Boston and the Irish, hence, expressions such as "Paddy Wagon (a common Irish shortening of Patrick). There have been and still exist, primarily today in the South, political machines based in 'regional economics' such as the Oil Barrons of Texas and Tobacco Kings of North Carolina now replaced with Hog and Chicken Factory Farms, etc.
I don't really care how insulting this entry is to the 'idea' of a corrupt free America. It wasn't and there are very good reasons why it wasn't.
Until recent decades the Civil Rights of anyone other than 'in power' entities were violated through exploitation of differences in 'religious and ethnic culture.' In the South, there was frank racism and in greater degrees than the North. Recent demonstrations of the 'continued' existance of racism is the dragging death in Texas and exploitive release of a Racist in South Carolina, the continued presence of the Confederate Flag, etc.
Those are overt examples and better recalled due to the higher incidence of deaths, demonstrations and punitive laws. But, in decades past and after immigration was a profound reality in the days of Ellis Island, the 'minority ethnicities' coming from Europe met with bigotry and discrimination that forced them into poverty. Their promise of an America paved in gold was diminished, but, they submitted to survive as to return to any oppression they left would be just as bad, if not worse. Oppression of this nature, no matter the decade including today, 'creates' a 'cheap work force' and hence it does today.
People disempowered from political stature because of the 'iconology' of 'the times' didn't have a say and in many instances a vote to change their circumstances. Hence, 'political machines' developed following the assent to power by 'occassionally pleasing' candidates. The corruption existed, but, it existed to raise an ethnicity out of poverty and empower the populous that was suffering. With that came 'moral legitimacy' of a 'political machine' and what occurred was media permission for corruption through legitimaizing of it and/or ridicule BUT without political clout. To be outside 'the political structure' for news media was to cause demise of same and HENCE everyone 'learned' how to survive within such a structure.
Now. About the current 'Illinois issue.'
Let me add this entry of a very different 'tone' as a reference to the current 'trend' to defame Rod Blagojevich:
Remarks by Secretary Ridge at Chicago TOPOFF Press Conference (click here)
Release Date: 05/15/03 00:00:00
For Immediate ReleaseOffice of the Press SecretaryMay 15, 2003
Thank you, Governor Blagojevich. Good afternoon. On Monday of this week, the Department of Homeland Security launched a five-day, full-scale national exercise in Chicago and Seattle to measure and analyze our nation's response to a mock terrorist attack.
Let me start off by complimenting Mayor Daley and Governor Blagojevich for the strong leadership they have provided to the people of Chicago during these exercises. The City of Chicago has an excellent reputation in the preparedness community, and we appreciate the City's willingness to test these capabilities before a national audience. Although a thorough analysis of the exercises will be done in the coming weeks, I am pleased to say that our initial assessment is that the City has performed well under the difficult circumstances it was presented with over the past few days....
Regrettably what surrounds young Black, Democratic leaders such as the current President-Elect, Representative Jesse Jackson, Jr., the current appointment of Roland Burris (age 71) and the current Governor of Illinois, Mr. Caucasian Rod Blagojevich; is a 'cultural' inheritance that only ended when the former Mayor Daley ended his last term. Actually, it lived beyond Daley for awhile.
Richard Daley was in office a long time, from 1955 through 1976. He was elected four times to office. His administration had plenty of issues and I am not going into them here, but, what is important is that 'the culture' to some extent, especially, 'the language' still exists. If you want to indulge in the 'exploration' of how deeply seated a 'cultural language' can sustain, then do it on your own, but, there still lingers in Illiniois a political iconology that demands 'tough talking' politics and those that can 'take the heat.' The 'icon' is all left over from the Daley Days regardless of whom does not want to admit it.
Now, in regard to 'slights' by authority. I don't doubt Governor Rod Blagojevich has said many 'crude' things and may have even implied one needs to enter his 'favor' in order to receive appointments. He might have even said such things to Jesse Jackson, Jr. as a 'slight' to separate his 'political territory' from that of Jackson's.
Political territories are a 'reality' in this political environment and we are seeing same transferred to national politics through media exploitation of a 'perhaps' bigger issue. There is no larger issue. This is the 'remants' of an old political culture. All the political leaders that have 'grown up' within this political culture have survived, but, have been tainted in some way or another even if it were by Preachers that behave badly.
Political territories have 'invisible' dynamics that need to be respected to survive the day. How one manuevers through them can be interesting and the 'slights' by authority result in 'in fighting' and 'slandering' in order to 'protect' one's interests. Political territories come with financial support as well as 'grassroots' involvement and brings all kinds of 'should and should nots.'
In Illinois as we have witnessed between the State Attorney General Madigan (Is she married without taking her married name for the sake of political recognition. I didn't look to see if she is married.) and Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan a kinship. It is a family that has risen to power in Illinois not dissimilar than other familes across this country, but, it is also a family that through the Attorney General's over reaching has proven to be 'power players' and 'power abusers.' Definately a separate political territory from any other Democratic entity within Illinois.
Governor Rod Blagojevich has done nothing wrong. He made statements, in this case, under sincere pressure that actually tainted his power as Governor. I still say, there should have been no 'looking over the shoulder' at his old Senate seat by Obama. There is a certain arrogance that precedes the 'idea' that Obama should call for his replacement. That is not the case. It is not within his authority and quite frankly he was a resigning US Senator, so he really had no authority at all EXCEPT for some 'political clout' that attempted to force Blagojevich to submit to Obama's supposed preference.
I am quite certain that Governor Blagojevich in his verbalizations recoded on illegal wiretaps (It has always been stated that 'legal' wiretaps by Homeland Security wasn't to involve the 'interior' of the country, but, was for 'foreign monitoring that reached into the interior of the country to complete the wiretap.' Hence, Homeland Security's involvement is illegal and exploitive, espescially on the grounds of 'power politics' of existing political territories in the Oval Office and the grounds of privacy.) stated many things, but, only to assist in proving he was still in control of his political territory. That is all this is and Fitzgerald has NO CASE.
Oh, one other thing.
Not to be overlooked.
There is always this 'under tone' to Republicans that demand descriptions of bigot, rasicst and bias. It's true. Republicans frequently like to 'draw on' OLD STEREOTYPES to support their base and propel others into favoring them politically by exploiting old realities. It is not uncommon for bigotry, bias and racism to be conducted with known stereotypes that support a hostile social and political environment.
Hello, America!
ACLU Reaffirms Opposition To Unconstitutional FBI Guidelines (click here)
(9/17/2008)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: (202) 675-2312, media@dcaclu.org or
(212) 549-2666, media@aclu.org
WASHINGTON, DC – Following testimony before both the House and Senate Judiciary Committees this week, FBI Director Robert Mueller failed to dispel unease regarding new internal FBI guidelines governing investigations. Yesterday and today, members of both committees sought reassurances that the guidelines – which give overly broad authorities to agents – would not be abused by the bureau. Director Mueller said the guidelines would not be rewritten to include more safeguards but that protections would instead be written into overarching FBI policies.
Under the revised guidelines, FBI agents no longer need “factual predication” to use paid informers, spy on a person’s activities or engage in other types of intrusive surveillance; all that will be necessary is a hypothetical “threat.” The American Civil Liberties Union remains gravely concerned that this controversial change opens the door to racial profiling as someone’s race, religion or ethnic background could be used as a factor in opening an investigation....
