Politics: November 2009 Archives

Just in time for the premiere of AMC's "The Prisoner" remake, we learn Illinois may be the home to some 200 al-Qaida terrorists currently near a Cuban beach in Guantanamo Bay. The Hound says ship them to the Thomson Correctional Center. We might as well make something off the Jihadists.

Besides, these prisoners look like they will be surrounded by about 1,500 GIs, if U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin knows what he is talking about. If military guards are involved, what happens to the 3,000 jobs Gov. Pat Quinn was touting for tiny Thomson, out there in northwest Illinois, a region which over the years has commonly been referred to as Forgottonia. That's because the rest of Illinois has forgotten about it, like one of your funny uncles.

Congressional Republicans have decided to fight this proposal by the Obama administration tooth and nail with Highland Park Congressman Mark Kirk leading the charge to keep these terrorists where they belong --- Cuba. He says putting them in Illinois leaves us open to danger at O'Hare International Airport and the Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower). He even has an online petition on his U.S. Senate campaign Web site to send a message that Illinoisans don't want terrorists here: www.noterroristsinillinois.com.

Kirk and his fellow Illinois Republicans argue if the Islamic terrorists are here, they will endanger Illinois. The Hound thinks we have enough of homegrown terrorism on the streets of our cities that we can handle 200 Jihadists. Besides, they may like it here. Except in winter.

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There was a lot of clucking in the Blogosphere, especially among Illinois Democrats, about GOP Senate candidate Mark Kirk seeking Sarah Palin's backing in February's Republican primary. In effect, they said the Highland Park congressman was going rogue.

Well, The Hound believes that is the farthest thing from Kirk's mind. This will blow over by the time November comes around, just like most of the pre-election political hijinks on both sides of the political aisle.

What Kirk is doing is no different than what any candidate does in a political primary. He leans to the right as a Republican, to the left as a Democrat. The party faithful are more apt to vote in primaries, not independents. And to win, a candidate has to appeal to the broad spectrum we call the electorate. Candidates have been doing this for decades and once the primaries are over, they start to meld in the middle. Can't win without appealing to independents, which President Obama realized last fall.

Palin, whether you like her or hate her, is hot right now. She's on "Oprah", she's got a book coming out, she's hot on the conservative speechifying circuit. It's normal to seek her support, regardless of one's political independence. As of this date, she hasn't said if she'll support anybody in next year's GOP primary.

Meantime, Kirk, a military man himself, was all over Chicago TV on Veterans Day, giving a long-ignored medal to a Zion World War II vet. Except for Gov. Pat Quinn, no other statewide candidate made the evening news. That should tell Republicans of all persuasions something as the runup to Feb. 2, 2010 begins.

Senior citizens sure have clout in this state. They stared down lawmakers and Gov. Pat Quinn when it came to the possibility of losing their free mass transit rides. Sturdy legislators turned to Jell-o when facing the voting booth wrath of Illinois geezers denied gratis bus and train rides. Quinn, too, waffled after transit agencies thought they had an agreement to restrict the free rides to low-income seniors and half fares for other seniors.

For all of you who thought there was no free lunch, talk to Illinois pols. They fear seniors mainly because they vote. A lot. While the nation's youth vote may have propelled then-Illinois Sen. Barack Obama into the White House, they only come out when they're energized on an issue or candidate. Seniors don't care. They just vote. A lot. Which is why seniors get so much free stuff and reduced rates for everything from hotel rooms to national park entrance fees.

A group of seniors storming Springfield sends shivers down the spine of normally unswayable pols. Which is why the two-year-old free rides for seniors 65 and older is still running. When faced with re-election prospects, pols err on the side of seniors and their growing numbers (see, Boomers, Baby).

Chicago Transit Authority officials believe the free rail rides instituted by former Gov. Rod "The Apprentice" Blagojevich has cost them some $60 million. They were hoping to recoup that. Guess again. Now the CTA is looking at service cuts and fare increases.

We like what one lawmaker unconcerned with geezer rage said: "There is no free ride on a bus that doesn't exist." Who said seniors are in their golden years? Not The Hound.