Swami, what should a citizen think about the defeat of Jim Oberweis by Bill Foster in the Illinois 14th congressional special election on Saturday? Big deal or just another odd political occurrence in a year filled with them? Signed: Hepped up in Highland Park
Ah, where to begin, Hep?
The Democrats will (and have) portrayed this as a clear sign of the pending apocalypse due to befall the Republicans this year. After all, Milk Magnate Oberweis couldn’t hold a seat that Denny Hastert owned for two decades, a comfy span over which he hardly ever failed to get 65 percent of the vote.
But for those who see tidal political changes in the works, there are simpler reasons why Foster won the right to serve until November after Hastert took a powder.
Or more to the point, why Oberweis lost.
Foster was, by most accounts, a well meaning but thin candidate.
Oberweis was seriously, determinedly creepy. Voters are not always smart about their preferences, and they don’t always pick the smartest candidate. But they hardly ever pick the creepy one.
If they had, Ralph Nader would have been president several times.
And Ross Perot, too
Maybe this is a difficult concept to decipher with hard evidence, but Swami knows odd and weird when he see it . Lords knows, Swami has been known to be odd after a few brewskies..
But Oberwies gave off very odd, weird vibes in another way. Like the uncle that the family decides can’t ever watch the kids when no one else is around. It’s not that we have any real evidence that he’s weird, but you just can’t be too careful.
That’s what the people of that district have told Oberweis now a half dozen different times for different elective offices both high and otherwise. He’s spent $9 million of his own money (not to mention several more bushels of GOP green) to lose these races.
We think the people there have spoken with particular clarity, and the word they keep saying with ever louder tones is “NO!!”
But the Democrats shouldn’t (but will, anyway) make more of this than the repudiation of weirdness. First, barely 20 percent of the registered voters went to the polls. Further, what was true last weekend might not be true in the fall when they get to do it all over again.
This is a district that was far more Republican historically than almost any GOP-held congressional seat the Democrats will seek to sweep in November.
And speaking of November, at this moment, Oberweis is penciled to run again against Foster.
Mr. O, get out your checkbook.
All these Democrates running congress is gunna make us DIE. Ever since the Jackasses (Democrates...well their party symbol is a donkey.) took control of congress we have been hurting economically...it isnt Bush's fault. Yes he may be a bad president in some peoples eyes but if we had a strong congress supporting even the worst president we would be ok. But all these liberals running congress. We might as well be in Iran ourselves. The Democratic party is so sad they can not even decide who they want as thier presidential canadiat. Oboma reall? What good has he done for Illinois besides dealing with Rezko. Oh wait that was a bad thing.
SWAMI SEZ; You need to make sure you don't miss the meds. It's a bad thing. And by the way, Oberweis is still creepy...but he's not the only one, is he Bucko?
Among other reasons Oberweis lost again is because he's not a good guy.
I voted for the guy on Saturday simply because his politics is the lesser of 2 evils (Socialism vs socalism-light... we're screwed either way).
Some other reasons he lost:
His campaign fliers that were sent to my house daily were full of lies. One example is the LIE that Lauzen supported a 30% national sales tax. Its called FairTax or something very close to it and you're just not going to pull the wool over everyone's eyes. Include the entire truth, because WE know.
He ran a dirty campaign against Foster, too. Foster never proposed stealing more money (raising taxes) from the middle class as Oberweis claimed. Foster wanted to steal more money (raise taxes) from the (evil) "rich."
And perhaps the biggest reason he lost is because the guy is just a loser. Yes, he runs a successful business, but business sense doesn't always make for good political sense.
Stop throwing mud, you're getting muddy, Mr Oberweis!
And finally:
Treat us like we can count past 10, spell, and properly pronounce words with more than 2 syllables. We're educated, we work, we read (more than just "news"papers), we understand. Don't spoon feed us this worthless drivel.
We want goverment out of our lives! We know government cannot and does not solve problems. We KNOW government ensures its own ability to go on by exacerbating problems. If government could solve problems, our problems would be solved by now or at bare minimum made a tiny bit better.
Espouse these beliefs because then you'll truly be preaching to the choir. You won't have to throw mud. Don't even talk about your opponents.
Swami, you are right on about the creepy part.
I am writing in response to the accusations being made against the Waukegan Police Department. I've lived in Waukegan for over 30 years, and yes I am an African American Woman that have observed the steady decline in, just common courtesy from some of our Police Officers that was sworn to serve and protect us. I can remember when we had officer that was helpful respectable and just a joy to interact with. But in the last 10 yrs. I have come in contact with police officer that are outright nasty and belligrient, especially your oriental gestapo tactic officer. When you have a Police Chief and Mayor that make the statement that they think that the police officer are almost perfect, what do you expect for the renegade to do but continue their behavior. They get their behavior from there bosses. The incident involving Brother Blanks daughter and her brother, is a perfect example of the good ole boys club, thinking they can do whatever the please. Here is a man that have raised two very exceptional young black ladies, for one of them to be reduced to mere street trash, violating their civil rights, when you can't sit out on your own front porch and video tape police officer that is passing by, something is wrong, what do they have to hide. On the south side they are called "the jump out boys" which mean that gang officers will indiscriminately ride up on young black youth and jump out of their vehicle and corral, physically abuse, threaten no matter who they are. Now Mr. Mayor, Chief Biang either I believe you two are my lying eyes. Stop the madness people, take off your robes & hoods. I doubt if this will ever appear in your column because the truth hurts.
This is what happens when the Police Departments does now mirror the people that they are sworn to protect. Are now mandated to reside in the community that they work at.