Blagojevich impeached by Illinois Senate

The Illinois House of Representatives voted yesterday to impeach Blagojevich, and the measure passed 114 – 1.  Typically, impeachment proceedings against governors, or presidents for that matter, are typically incredibly close, within a few votes of passing or failing.  Illinois has never before impeached a governor, but this one has been by virtual unanimity.  The Illinois House requires only 60 votes – clear majority – for an impeachment, but this one cleared that hurdle with impunity.  He may not even be able to apply for payday loans if he needs one, because he won’t have a payday in any sense of the word if he gets removed from office – which seems likely at this point.

Gov. Blagojevich has barely responded to the charges at all, only making statements that he is innocent, and has not made a statement about the impeachment.  Instead, he stated to reporters that he will “see you at 2,” indicating that he will be issuing a statement at 2 p.m. (central time) Then he went for a jog.  House Representatives have been increasingly frustrated with the governor on both sides of the aisle, and after an inquiry committee voted unanimously that impeachment was the best course of action, the House put the motion before the floor for a vote.

The Impeachment History of United States

Impeachment is a measure of last resort in any US legislative body to curb the activities of an obviously unhinged official – it has been employed only 18 times in United States history at both state and federal levels.  The last was Bill Clinton, in 1998, and Blagojevich has the dubious honor of being the first governor impeached in the United States.

These are his odds:
Of all impeached officials, 7 have been removed from office.  (7/18 = 39% chance of removal.)
7 have been acquitted, one after resigning.  (39% chance of acquittal.)
3 have resigned, and of all officials impeached, only 1 impeachment was dismissed; source here.
(1/18 = 12.5% chance of dismissal of charges.)

Worse than Nixon

Illinois lawmakers have voiced their disgust and outrage in the news repeatedly, voicing their distaste for both his actions and reaction to what is easily one of the biggest political scandals since Watergate, saying that his arrest and then lack of reaction to it are making the government of Illinois into a joke, laughing stock of the world.  House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie said that “his silence in this great matter is deafening.”  His credibility is virtually nonexistent, and there is no one who wishes for Rod Blagojevich to remain in office except Mr. Blagojevich himself.   If your budget has come under impeachment by a sudden expense, get the counsel of payday loans to censure the offending shortfall.

Obama creates new position and fills it

Obama has created a few new positions within his executive team, for the expressed purpose of having a deep roster of talent to help him with what are going to be daunting challenges for his administration. Such things include: revamping the American economy and tackling the national debt, both of which are monumental undertakings that will take massive effort to overcome.  The economy, in the midst of a deep recession that is the worst suffered by the American people on over three decades, and a national debt so massive that no amount of payday loans could ever get us out of it.  Did we mention that he also has to get us out of Iraq in a prudent manner, somehow get into Pakistan to get Bin Laden, keep Iran from developing nuclear weapons, and try and keep Israel and Palestine from blowing each other up?  There also is the matter of Russia reverting back to Soviet style practices against the will of its people, North Korea, global warming…and the list keeps growing, which is sure to continue as he takes office.

One of the new positions that Obama has created for his executive team is that of Chief Performance Officer.  Not many companies, and definitely no governments besides ours, have a Chief Performance Officer, so not many people are aware of what it means.  A Chief Performance Officer, more or less, is an executive in charge of making sure that the product or service is performing at the level it needs to be.  For that purpose, he has named Nancy Killefer as Chief Performance Officer of the United States.  She has experience, as she spent three years in the upper echelons of the Department of the Treasury, as its Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operations Officer.

Bold people will make bold decisions

The executive and cabinet team Obama is amassing is a daunting roster.  The depth and breadth of knowledge and experience that he’ll have at his disposal will prove excellent as tools to help him surmount the challenges that the nation will face with him at the helm, much like payday loans can help you overcome a budget shortfall or an unforeseen emergency.

WHAT NOW?

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

It seems that there is no lack of fodder for the newspapers these days, as the latest turn of events keep the reporters busy. Blagojavich has no intentions of resigning, despite his arrest on Tuesday by the FBI. It was also his birthday – - he turned 52. The Illinois Governor’s spokesman, Lucio Guerrero, has stated that “there is more to this story that he is wanting to tell at an appropriate time.” Calls for impeachment would necessitate a special election, which Illinois republican chairman, Andy McKenna, is for. That could mean that it would cost taxpayers tens of millions of dollars. At any rate, republicans and democrats are both calling for his resignation. It seems that the governor is not on board with the notion, showing up for work as usual Monday morning. If Blagojavich remains in power, than he has all the rights and responsibilities as Governor to appoint someone to fill the Senate seat vacated by President-elect Obama. State legislators are planning on meeting this afternoon to discuss the matter further.

NOT NEW TO CONTROVERSY

Shortly after meeting his wife, Patti, and with the help of his father-in-law, Richard Mell, Bagojavich was placed on the city of Chicago ’s payroll for what reason remains to this day a mystery. Mell had powerful connections, and as a result was mainly responsible for Bagojavich’s election to the Illinois State House as a democrat. Four years later, he won a seat in the House of Representatives. Blagojavich and Mell had a nasty public feud in 2005, when the Governor cited a relative’s business for environmental concerns. Mell lashed back with accusations of abuse in selling state jobs. Those remarks were later withdrawn, but not before the federal and state authorities curiosity was peaked and they began investigations. While he has been governor for the past six years, he has been under federal investigation for the past four. Interestingly enough, Blagojavich ran as a reformer and replaced republican George Ryan who was found guilty of fraud when he was Illinois Secretary of State. Blagojavich was re-elected to his seat in 2006, despite numerous accusations of unethical dealings too numerous to list. Amazingly, he is the fourth out of the past eight governors to be indicted on charges of corruption. In addition to the latest fiasco, Blagojavich is charged with “shaking down” officials at a children’s hospital, attempting to finagle $50,000.00 in exchange for reimbursing the hospital for pediatric care. As horrifying as that may be, perhaps he should have considered discreet payday loans to bolster his campaign.

PRAY FOR OUR STATE

The Greater St. John Bible Church’s Rev. Ira Acree met with Blagojavich in his home early Friday morning. The Rev. referred to his meeting with the Governor; albeit briefly, in his sermon on Sunday. Nevertheless, he offered no details, except to say that “everyone deserves pastoral counsel” and that “…no matter what your political position is, pray for our state.” No matter what your beliefs are, it definitely could not hurt to enlist some divine intervention in Illinois’ state of affairs as they are facing hard choices ahead. Considering that the circumstances of the Governor and the vacant Senate seat may be a costly venture for taxpayers, it probably couldn’t hurt to take out payday loans to fund what could be a special election.

Australia’s Parliament may soon have to submit to Breathalyzer tests

Yes, Virginia, you heard it.  The Australian Parliament is contemplating instilling a rule that would make it a requirement for all members of parliament to submit to a breathalyzer test before voting on any legislation, like on regulation of payday loans.  Various levels of Australian government have had alcohol related scandals over the years; there are some that are seeking an end to it, or at least prevention of anybody being allowed to drink and legislate.  Laws exist in the country that makes it mandatory for any and all crane operators to take a breathalyzer before they can begin work with the massive machines.   Public transport operators have also called for random drug screening of members of parliament, stating that since they have to put up with the intrusion for the sake of the public’s well being, it is decidedly just as important that the legislators of the country do as well.   This is all in the wake of a member of parliament who had to resign his post as a spokesperson for his particular party after he got drunk at a Christmas party, and apparently shoved a female colleague.  Granted, that may not make him Ted Kennedy, but it is still reprehensible enough.
Seems fair enough doesn’t it?  If you are a person whose vote could decide the fate of a country, or large groups of people and enormous sums of money, it would seem imprudent to imbibe in any alcohol or any other substances with intoxicating effects while you are at work.  In fact, not very many professions in the world allow a worker, at any level, to be intoxicated at work, even if inside the legal limits.  So far, Australian Parliamentarians seem to be somewhat receptive to the idea, though some believe that if it were to be so installed, it should be voluntary only, rather than mandatory.

Drinking while politicking isn’t unheard of, but it is still wrong

Now we’ve all heard of politicians that enjoy a tipple or two in their off time, and Winston Churchill was known to down copious amounts of brandy and smoke cigars until the wee hours of morning regularly (FDR was rumored to have to take several days to recover from his visits), but members of any government in the world should not be drunk at the wheel of their respective countries.  The rest of us shouldn’t be drunk at the wheel of our finances, and if we have a sudden gap we need to fill, we certainly shouldn’t try to medicate our sorrows away – we can get payday loans.

The guys in the boardroom may stink – but we shouldn’t take it out on the workers

The Big 3 of Michigan have certainly messed up over the years – they gave us so many lemons like the Edsel and the Pinto, just to name two, and then they crammed the gas hog SUV’s down our throats with gas prices skyrocketing all the while, forcing people to get quick payday loans just to be able to drive to the bank to remortgage their home to fill up the tank. However, they still employ thousands of people that work in their factories, work with dealerships, designers and engineers, and financing staff. These are institutions of American industry, of American culture – two of the most famous sports cars of all time are the Corvette, and the Mustang, both made by GM/Chevrolet and the Ford Motor Co. There have been controversies, yet there have also been great triumphs. GM, Ford, and Dodge (a division of Chrysler) were all prolific producers during WW II, building tanks, planes, trucks, and equipment at an unprecedented rate that couldn’t be matched by any other nation in the world, even the efficiency obsessed Germans. Certainly, they were valuable then.

Just because they have grown decadent, doesn’t mean they can’t get back in shape
True, they haven’t exactly performed their best as of late. However, if they are allowed to die off, then there would be a loss of almost $200 billion in revenue each year, from each company – $600 billion taken out of an already troubled economic climate. That’s a recipe for disaster. Also, what about the 2-300,000 employees that makes up the total workforce of the Big 3? The unemployment rate is already up, and that many more people out of work of what are middle class jobs – Ford, GM, and Chrysler are union plants, and workers make over $20 per hour – would be a crippling blow to the economy of the entire upper Midwest. The manufacturing base of the United States would be all but gone, as small as it is already. Let us hope that our lawmakers have the sense to give them the quick payday loans that they need, because the emergency funds would do them, and the nation, some good.

It seems as though it is really unfair to do this, especially after the near collapse of the American economy over the last few months, and it seems the government is willing to give some emergency cash to them instead of the American people, in keeping with the theory of supply side economics, which has been a hallmark policy of the last thirty years. It has its critics, and they are certainly right to be so; in certain ways, supply side economics doesn’t entirely work, or at least not as well as payday loans.

As much as it would seem that this is a bad idea, it can really work

One of the leading forces in what’s called macroeconomics, or the study of government and world economies and trade, was a man named John Maynard Keynes. One of Keynes’ biggest contributions was his position that an increase in spending is key during periods of recession, because it stimulates growth in economies better than conservation.

The bailout is textbook Keynes: the $800 billion stimulus puts capital back into the markets.  Even though it may seem that we’re only giving it to ourselves and then paying taxes on our own tax money, we’re getting something for it: we get to re-capitalize the consumer credit market. We can get loans for purchasing homes, cars, and perhaps the most important of all, for college educations. The author of this post would not know a thing about Keynes or economics if it were not for government student loans when I need money for my education.

It is through that very sort of program that others like this author and many, many others, that allows us to have the privilege and gift of a higher education, to cultivate educated, informed, and rational, critical minds to better ourselves, our families, and our society. Many of us desire to see the extra money from the bailout go towards: to give the next generation the same, or better, opportunity to pursue the same, for the good of all mankind. It is vital to the future of America and our children that they do so.

Those who don’t study the past will be doomed to repeat it

Government stimulus and payday loans for recapitalization has worked before. Had it not been for the stimulation of the New Deal, it is possible that the Great Depression could not have been surmounted and overcome for decades longer than it took. Now, many of us, also including this author, are in favor of a self regulating, responsible free market – less government intervention and the best product and price benefiting both consumer and producer/retailer, but these payday loans are for the good of everybody.

If you’ve been reading my blog entries for a little bit of time, you know that I’m a sucker for a controversial news story. My desires were fed this morning with an article from USA Today’s website entitled, “NYC teachers sue to wear political buttons in school.”

In the report, it tells of how Universities, in various states, have forbidden their students, faculty, and staff, from not only wearing candidate-supporting garb, but also participating in partisan rallies and the like. Justification stems from an apparent law, proclaiming that all state employees are forbidden from participating in political rallies and/or expressing their support or opposition of a candidate.

Seriously, isn’t that what going to a public university is about; being able to learn of the world around you, by hearing from all viewpoints equally? At least that’s what I thought, also considering that in order to know who you support for elected office you must know where they stand. I also thought that, despite the predominate slant to the left, a public university is where you can believe what you choose, and shed fears of the prevalent agenda within our nation’s K-12 systems.

Brainwashing children

The late George Carlin explained the pitfalls of the public school system best during his 2001 HBO special, “Complaints and Grievances.” In it, he describes public schools as indoctrination centers, where children are sent to be brainwashed, stripped of their identities and become mindless members of a consumerist society. Brother, we applaud you for telling it like it is.

Further proof can be seen of this, within the evidence I gained during a recent conversation with my boss. During the meeting, she told me of one of her children who was told he was wrong when he answered “George W. Bush,” not “John Kerry,” in response to the exam question, “who do you support for president?” You’d never believe what my rightfully-seething boss was told when she confronted the higher-ups at the public institution.

“Kids in public school are taught that they must be obedient,” one of them responded. Certainly, if that were my child in the system, being told that they’re on the verge of flunking because their views clash with those of the majority, I would be outraged, as well. Because, hey, to say the least, what they’re teaching aren’t the tenets of the true American way; instead, they’re pushing for a socialist society, where we all live the way that Big Brother sees fit.

My stomach turns

Hearing of such things going on in our public schools never fails to make my stomach turn. I mean, the concept of Universities employing agenda-driven professors is nothing new, but today’s students ought to be completely free to learn about the world around them. Then, in the end, the option should be there to decide what they believe, not that of their legislative masters.

The same thing goes for another thing which, in tough times, is just as important as our constitutional right to free speech; installment loans. Just like the right for folks to express their political views on public campuses, the quick and convenient installment loans service has come under fire, with state and national politicians wielding the flame throwers.

Vote YES

We have the opportunity to stomp out the fires they’ve started, coming up on November 4. We can save the short term installment loans industry by voting Yes on Arizona’s Proposition 200, and no on Ohio’s Governor-backed HB 545. Otherwise, our school children will not only continue to be told to “sit down and shut up,” but our economies will suffer even further decay.