Hmm. It seems that I, for one, owe a wee apology to former Gov. Rod Blagojevich. I blamed most of the paralyzing toxicity in Springfield in recent years on him. Many of my columns have hammered on Blagojevich’s stubbornness, his confrontational style and his tendency to grandstand rather than lead.
He and his fellow Democrats had it all. Solid majorities in both chambers and, since 2006, every statewide office. Yet all we got was one long sandbox fight.
So now Blago’s gone. Arrested. Impeached. Removed from office. Indicted. Exiled to his home in Ravenswood Manor.
We have a new governor — the good-hearted Pat Quinn. For good measure we also have a new Illinois Senate president — John Cullerton — replacing Emil Jones, who was Blagojevich’s main enabler in the legislature. And what are we seeing in Springfield?
Another round of paralyzing toxicity! Name-calling. Infighting. Finger-pointing. Dueling accusatory news conferences about who’s to blame for a budget stalemate that put the General Assembly into an overtime session for the third summer in a row.
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