Democrats are Assholes Too

By now you must be aware of the fact that Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was arrested by the FBI for trying to "sell" Barack Obama's vacated Senate seat. To anybody familiar with Illinois politics this development comes as no surprise. The surprise is that Obama emerged from the dirt pile that is Illinois politics and managed to project a clean image. Even the most biased pundits in the Fox family can't link Obama to this scandal.

It's important to note that Blagojevich has been at odds with the Democratic party for some time. His own Lt. Governor hates him and the Illinois Democratic caucus has been battling with Blagojevich's corruption for quite some time. The Chicago Tribune has been calling for his impeachment and Blagojevich has been doing everything in his power to intimidate the writers and editors who question him. It's ugly.

After his arrest Blagojevich was released on bond and returned to work, refusing requests from virtually everybody in his party, including Obama, to resign. Blagojevich clearly believes that he is above the law and he intends to stretch this thing out as long as he can.

This is unfortunate for the Democrats because the American people have turned to them after 8 years of Republican corruption. We got tired of watching the antics of people like Tom DeLay and Ted Stevens, against the backdrop of the worst administration since Warren G. Hardings's, and handed the keys to the Democrats.

It's not that we're naive enough to believe that the Democrats are perfect. We know that they're going to screw up because they are, after all, politicians and we accept the fact that 99% of all politicians are self-serving scumbags who would kill us in our sleep if it would further their careers, but I think we all expected the Democrats to pretend they were better. After all the crap this country has dealt with, it's hard to believe that Blagojevich isn't really an actor employed by conservative interests.

But it's not an act. Blagojevich is a Democrat who learned to play the game in the dirtiest political arena we've got. Illinois has always been where the Democrats learn their dirtiest tricks. Unlike most Illinois Democrats, Blagojevich lacked the sense to not get caught which makes it highly probable that he was set up by a much more experienced Democrat with an axe to grind.

Like most Americans I voted exclusively for Democrats this time around. I even voted against a few moderate Republicans who have done well and deserved to be reelected because I felt that the GOP let this country down by not policing itself. I don't think the Democrats are that much better, but I was holding out hope that they would pretend to be and that's what I was voting for. I want my politicians to go back to having enough humility to keep their shady back alley business in the back alley. I know they're cheats and liars. I know they are going to break every promise they make but the overt corruption is disrespectful. Have the decency to put up a front and act like there are rules even if you think they don't apply to you. Barack Obama hasn't even been sworn in and idiots like Blagojevich are already acting like they're above the law.

I think it's time for the Democrats to send the world a message. This is Illinois and Blagojevich is a Chicago guy. They have ways of dealing with these things in Chicago. We're a long way from the days of Al Capone and Frank Nitty, but accidents still happen and people still disappear. He needs to be made an example of and what better place to do it than Illinois.